Layoff Aftermath - Manager Edition

It's been weeks of evaluating, decision making, and planning and finally, you and your HR person met with all the folks on the layoff list and did the deed. Now the hard part is over.

Um, not so fast.

I'd argue that the hardest, and most crucial, part for managers is about to begin. You cannot ignore what just happened and not communicate with the remaining members of your team. Employees don't feel motivated when they work in a vacuum. Your HR person should guide you on appropriate talking points. For example, you certainly don't want to tell the team that Johnny was chosen to be part of the layoff because of performance related absenteeism. This will get back to Johnny and you will undoubtedly hear from Johnny's lawyer since those absences were due to religious observance. So listen to your HR person. We're here to make sure you don't get yourself into any legal trouble.

If there are layoffs across different functional areas in your company, your HR and Communications departments probably have written talking points for you. Use them. Stay on message. But most importantly, get the message out. Don't think that 'no news is good news' because that approach will backfire. Badly.

If you are a manager in a group that wasn't affected by the layoffs and no one has communicated with you, don't just sit there! Seek out the message and make sure you communicate it with your team immediately. And never, ever announce that the layoffs are over, there won't be anymore, or your job is safe. You can't guarantee that and if something changes, you lose all credibility. As a manager, one of the things you must always ensure is that you don't over promise and under deliver. Once you do this, your employees won't trust or like you very much.

And finally, be honest. If an employee asks you a question, answer it to the best of your ability. If you don't know the answer or the best way to answer, consult your HR buddies. It's ok to tell an employee that you need to get the scoop and back to them. What's not ok is if you don't ever respond. It'll just be another example of your lack of managerial credibility.