Assuming that you are the executive director of one of the companies that were hit hard by the pandemic, your company decided to cut on the number of employees for its sustainability. Explain how you

Disclosing heart-breaking news, especially one that will affect people’s livelihoods, like having to make a difficult decision of laying off some employees is one of the challenges that many organizations have to go through.  This is unavoidable in many cases, like the COVID-19 pandemic that threatens the existence of businesses because of its adverse effects on the economy.

Employees must hear it directly and honestly from management, even though the information to be relayed is not pleasant. This is undeniably better than hearing it as a rumor. Honest communication is one of the key ingredients in a good communication strategy.

Two-way communication, which provides for information flowing to employees and for ideas and feedback flowing back to management, will make the downsizing process smoother for management and the employees. Because of this, the best format for communicating this kind of information is through a series of meetings with the organization staff, followed by individual meetings with affected employees.

First and foremost, choosing an appropriate time is imperative. A good day to hold the first general meeting would be a Friday, or the last working day of the week, depending on the organization’s work schedule. This is because the meeting is likely to be emotionally charged, and that will give the employees a chance to rest and take some time to think about the message without having to attend to work pressures the following day. 

One of the strategies suggested by Dr Wayne Cascio (2002) is to ask employees for input on how the organization could cut costs amidst adverse economic effects, like the one brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. Their responses would then be written down on a flip chart and perhaps, most of them would have already been implemented by the organization. This would help to ease the pain of employees if they know that their employers have tried all possible options, and downsizing is the absolute last resort.

With compassion, I would then specify to the employees why certain positions are being eliminated, through direct, open, and honest communication. Affected employees will be reassured of the support that the organization will give to help them get good recommendations for other jobs, in addition to the benefits the organization will be sending them off with. Because the company will be offering help at a high-stress, emotional time, it sends a signal to them and the remaining employees that the laid-off employees are not just being treated as items on a budget but rather, as dignified people. Every effort will be taken to make the message uncomplicated and understandable, avoiding the use of unnecessary jargon; use of a sympathetic and consistent tone, so that there are no mixed messages perceived. That means the message has to be very well prepared, with words and structure carefully thought through. After the message has been relayed, employees will be allowed to provide any feedback sharing opinions and also ask any questions that will be answered immediately.

After the weekend, I would meet affected employees face-to-face to learn whether they have all the information they need and feel they were treated respectfully. Any concerns or queries they may have would be addressed in this one on one meeting. The remaining employees will be met with physically by their immediate supervisors, spelling out how their responsibilities may be affected, in addition to addressing their concerns empathetically. They may struggle with doubts about the company’s future as they want to know how their jobs will change too and whether further layoffs are imminent. Their doubts will begin with their roles and expand outward to their teams and the company as a whole. These concerns must be addressed at each level of concern with as much rational discussion as possible. This may call for more meetings as the organization continues in operation.

On the last day that the laid-off employees will be working, the company would hold a simple celebratory meeting to celebrate past accomplishments and hard work because the employees need to be treated with respect and dignity. While employees may be exiting the organization, much of their accomplishments and contributions to the company will remain. Provided that employees are open to acknowledgment and celebration, they should be allowed to be publicly commended for their contributions to the organization. Symbolic gestures often lift employee morale and might enhance company-wide organizational morale. Exiting employees will feel appreciated and genuinely believe the organization would have preferred to keep them.