“I was laid off just before Christmas,” a colleague shared recently. Ouch.
The headlines seem to be awash in workforce reductions lately, always accompanied by awful stories of the way in which people were notified and walked out. Not only is it heartbreaking, but it’s damaging to the reputation of the business, making it harder to recruit top skills in the future.
Assuming that reductions are necessary, how can we do it in a way that preserves dignity and honors the contribution of employees?
I’ve worked on many projects that were designed to reduce the number of employees by automating work. Employees are not dumb. When they hear about a change, the first question is, “Are people going to lose their jobs?” I don’t care how innocuous the change is, many immediately perceive a threat. Being let go is seen as embarrassing; a black mark on the record.
How do we get people to embrace a change that will likely result in the loss of their job, or that of their colleagues? It can be done!
1. Be honest about what you know and don’t know about job impacts.
This is the toughest part. If you expect to lose some positions, tell them so, even if you don’t know how many or exactly when. Promise to give updates as soon as you know. Make the process transparent. Keep communicating through the entire process or the grapevine will invent it’s own story. You won’t like it.I always hear the same concern: “What if people panic and start looking for work elsewhere?” Yes, that’s a risk. But what will they think if you hide it and launch surprise layoffs? Credibility takes a dive and the good people start looking for a new job anyway because you can’t be trusted. Better to be as honest as possible.
2. Tell them how any losses or redundancies will be handled.
Will leaders do their best to place people in other positions in the company? Will anyone let go receive placement services? Will employee benefits or assistance be extended for a period? Publicizing the support available for people helps the survivors feel less guilty.
3. Let them say goodbye.
Greg is my contact at a vendor I’ve been working with. Last week he announced that he was leaving the organization and would no longer be my contact. It was evident that this was a layoff and I assumed that by end of day his email would be suspended. It wasn’t. He was giving me a heads up that his last day would be on Friday…there were several days to complete handoffs and wish him well. This is the dignity part.
Not everyone will want to stick around to say goodbye, but at least give them the option. Yes, you need to manage security for your files during final days, but that is easily monitored.
4. Be open to suggestions.
Buy-in always improves when people are involved in decisions that affect them. Invite suggestions to improve the layoff process. One person suggested letting people self-select for layoffs. Some can afford and desire time off. It’s a good strategy if the company will survive if the best people decide to leave. That isn’t always a reasonable risk, but it’s worth considering.
The most common response to being laid off is to wonder, “What did I do wrong?” Often the answer is nothing, but employers fearing legal action read a script that reveals nothing and hurries the individual out the door. We can do better. Use these four tactics to reduce risk of fallout and bring the dignity back to work transitions.
Thoughtfully yours,
Jeff
