One of the biggest stresses that anyone in an organization can go through is when there are going to be layoffs or reductions. You walk into work one day and your world is turned upside down. Your first thought is, “Will I have a job when this is all over?” Unfortunately, when you are the leader, you have no time to dwell on that because your focus has to be on your team.
You can almost watch the stages happen. Shock and panic are always the first to show up and then as more information is learned, there is an acceptance that this is really happening. The waiting for the official notification of who is leaving is the most difficult. You have to continue to do your work and try not to think about it. Obviously, this is easier said than done.
I remember the first organizational workforce reduction that I went through as the leader of a team. I had been through changes before as an employee, but it is so different to be the one who has to answer questions and lead them through the change. There wasn’t a class to take on how to do this, so I had to figure it out.
In my experience, communication is the most important thing to focus on during a time of change. Set the stage for trust immediately and establish the communication that you will provide. Take time at each staff meeting and during one-on-one meetings to do the following:
- Be as transparent as possible and share with your team what you can. If you don’t give them information, people will create their own stories and spread rumors. Tell them that there may be things you can’t share yet, but you will as soon as you can.
- Ask them questions about how they are doing and what they are hearing from others. They need to know that you care about them. Leverage what you learn to understand what the organization is concerned about and where there are rumors spreading so they can be addressed through a broader communication.
- Let them ask questions of you. Tell them that you will find out more information if you don’t have the answers. Always come back with a response, even if it is that you asked and there are no answers yet.
- Help them see that what they are going through and learning during this change is beneficial whether they stay or go somewhere else. This can help them stay focused on what they need to work on during the change.
The company line will always be it is “business as usual” until the notifications officially happen. As the leader, you know that there is work to be done, but there is also a tremendous amount of stress that people are going through. The team is looking to you for how you respond. They need someone who is trustworthy, calm, and isn’t panicked. Your role is to help them navigate the change and regardless of what happens and come through it in the best way possible.