CEO departures across corporate America remain at record levels, while many everyday workers are clinging to their roles as they face a cooling job market, anxiety over AI, and a resurgent no-nonsense management style. The result is a corporate split screen: CEOs can generally roll out and land on their feet, while workers feel stuck, said Richard Smith, a professor at the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School. Unlike many rank-and-file employees who rely on regular paychecks and fear layoffs, erstwhile CEOs often have a financial cushion. That means they don't have to worry if they go a year or two without working, he said.