After the Layoff - Communicating with Remaining Staff

While clear, direct and compassionate communication with employees receiving layoff notification should be your first priority, it is critically important that everyone within the organization receives timely, accurate, and thorough information. Have a timeline for communicating with your staff. Meet first with employees receiving notification, then with the rest of your staff.

Remember, word of mouth travels fast, so try to stay ahead of rumors with accurate information. State the expectation that the laid off employees will work with you to insure an orderly transition of any remaining work.  Do not make any announcements about layoffs to staff by email.

First: Self Care

• Identify and Acknowledge impacts on self - Committing to taking care of yourself shows you care about supporting your staff as best as you can. This is hard. It’s ok and expected that you will be affected heavily, even if you're not being laid off. Take time you need to process change and decompress.
  
• Identify support systems - Find people who are available and appropriate to lean on in times of stress (confidential colleagues, such as high level supervisors, or SHR).
• Know your support resources - EAP also provides services for support related to challenging work experiences.

Talking with the Work-leads or Supervisors of the Employees Receiving Notification

• As soon as possible, after layoff notification meetings, talk to the work leads regarding impacted employees.
• Prepare talking points. Being prepared will ensure you are being responsible for the information you are communicating, and help build faith with your employees about the decision making process.
  
• Let the work lead or supervisor know that you value their leadership and that you wish you could have given them advance notice, but given the confidential nature of the information and the collective bargaining agreements, you couldn’t.

Talking with the Employees Not Receiving Notification Letters

• Meet with remaining staff as soon as possible, eg. the afternoon or morning after notifications are delivered.
• Be concise, but complete. Prepare talking points. Being prepared will ensure you are being responsible for the information you are communicating, and help build faith with your employees about the decision making process.
  
• Briefly describe the circumstances leading up to the decision and the decision-making process.
• Be available to answer any questions.
• Set a future time for another employee meeting to discuss future plans, new responsibilities, etc.

Reactions to Expect from Employees Remaining After the Layoff

This news will be difficult to share, and also difficult to receive. Reactions can include but are not limited to:

• Anger/hostility
• Feelings of being overwhelmed
• Sense of guilt
• Insecurity about the future/Anxiety
• Negative attitude
• Resistance to change
• Resentment for increased workloads, changing processes
• Sadness/depression
• Increased absenteeism
• Lack of interest, energy or motivation
• Confusion about roles, relationships, authority
• Shock/Surprise

How to Support Staff needs:

It is important to recognize that these feelings and behaviors are normal and are being experienced to some extent by everyone affected by the layoff. As a manager, you must respond to the feelings of the remaining staff and communicate a positive image for the future. Be patient with employees, and acknowledge that it’s normal to feel unsure in these types of situations. Maintain an open door policy so employees can come to you for guidance and support, and recognize that employees differ on how quickly they can adapt to change.

• Allow staff to grieve, vent, express emotions and needs respectfully
  • Put mechanisms in place
    • Eg. Dedicate time in 1:1s, listening sessions, consider written/anonymous feedback platforms
• Allow flexibility in meeting operational changes. Changes in business needs can impact employees on an individual and personal level. Consider in what ways you can support them in balancing personal needs with those of the operations.

You may also wish to conduct a series of meetings to provide an ongoing safe place for communication. Some suggested topics:

• Explain the department reorganization and redefine roles as necessary.
• Discuss any impact on workload/work flow.
• Ask for suggestions for improving department effectiveness.
• Assure staff members that no other positions will be affected at this time (if this is true).
• Mention that the EAP services are available for any employees having difficulty with changes.
• Express optimism for the future.
• End on a positive note; reiterate that staff members are valued and important.