Was sind einige effektive Möglichkeiten, um das Engagement der Mitarbeiter während eines Unternehmensabbaus aufrechtzuerhalten?

Transparency, openness, and honesty is key. Understand the full story from your side before communicating it to others. This is not the time to guess at what is happening. Sometimes you don't have a lot of information to share and that is ok. Tell people to bring any rumblings to you and work quickly to close communication gaps with the truth. Keep focused on your departmental goals and help people feel like their contributions are valued - because they are. As soon as you have something to share, do it openly and honestly.

Make the case for change. Start by sharing the reasons and supporting data. Even if people don't like the change, you can make sure they understand. Be clear and transparent on the impact to the business and employees. And listen! Understand that everyone reacts differently to change. And people move through the change curve at their own pace. Normalise all the emotions employees will be feeling. Offer support and encourage conversation.

When you don't share information, people fill in the gaps — with rumors, inaccurate information or guesses. The best thing you can do is be honest. If you don't have all of the information, that's ok. Tell employees that. People know when a message has been crafted and "perfected." Rather, choose to be authentic and honest with employees.

Authenticity is key, as is validating the emotions of the situation. Communicate in a humble, apologetic tone, thanking those who are leaving for their contributions. Acknowledge that those who remain are likely feeling upset, anxious, maybe even angry — and that’s okay; advise people take some space and time to process. Openly state that you will answer what you can, but there may be some questions you don’t have answers for. Most of all, don’t be tone-deaf. If you’re laying off employees as a cost-cutting move, don’t have senior leaders fly in the following week for an offsite huddle. The optics will be horrible, and the inevitable rumblings will be that management doesn’t care about those impacted because they are impervious to cuts.

Open & Honest communication in any situation is an imperial contributor to make a positive or negative impact. At the same time, we also need to be mindful of what is being shared. Too complicated information may not be perceived as intended and lead to further chaos. Meaningful, precise & effective communication will yield the results intended and keep employee morale not negatively affected.

From my experience, during downsizing, staff morale can take a hit. It's vital to double down on recognition. Simple, genuine acknowledgements can make a big difference. I've seen managers use creative approaches, like personalised thank-you notes or shout-outs in team meetings, to uplift spirits. It's not just about grand gestures; it's the regular, sincere appreciation that resonates. Also, focusing on rewarding those who stay is crucial for maintaining productivity and engagement. This can be tailored to individual or team achievements, reinforcing their value to the organization during challenging times.

Timely recognition with clear depiction of honesty will certainly make the employee feel happy. We need to empathize with the employees and see the situation through their lens before proceeding to celebrating any achievements. It is a delicate time and needs to be treated with fairness. Constant positive discussions will help boost the morale.

During a downsizing, many employees will be taking on new work that was previously done by someone who is no longer with the organization. This can be overwhelming or draining for so many reasons. It's critical for business leaders to: 1) identify who may be in this situation, 2) openly acknowledge these new challenges, 3) talk through time-sensitive priorities 1:1 and ask your team member where they would like additional support - this may be in the form of training, or in deprioritizing certain items on the roadmap, 4) follow through, & follow up, and 5) express gratitude for everything they're doing.

Check for audience change communication 'blind spots'. A downsizing can sometimes be targeted to an individual team, department or office but if stakeholder and audience engagement isn't managed well, confusion and further concern can arise if employees not impacted are under the impression they could be or are. This is easily a risk from office chat and rumours. Make sure your communications plan includes supporting leaders and teams not in scope in a way that demonstrates your values as an organisation, and shows compassion to those that are affected.

During the communication plan, we have ensure that there is a support system in place to help employees get through the phase. Guidance and available resources for support should be constantly communicated to ensure employees understand that the organization genuinely cares for them. This will help to build the trust and earn loyalty from employees.

Have open Forums to discuss about the change and get ideas on dealing with the change as a collective group. Employee buy-in and involvement is very important and will give a sense of ownership and accountability to get tasks done. The engagement will raise immensely by gaining confidence and realizing the support available. It is always better to get ideas than pushing ideas to the work group.

In employee engagement, especially during downsizing, it's crucial to actively involve your team. Empower them by soliciting their ideas and feedback on changes and improvements. Delegate meaningful tasks and roles, fostering a sense of ownership and value. This approach not only maintains morale but also cultivates a culture of collective responsibility and innovation. It's about making each team member feel they're a crucial part of the journey, not just passengers.

In tough times like downsizing, it's really about keeping the team spirit alive. Instead of just fun activities, let's talk openly and regularly. This builds trust. Create spaces where everyone can speak up and share ideas. It's not just about feeling good, but also about solving problems together. Share real stories of how the team pulled through tough spots – it's motivating and shows we're all in this together. It's about making everyone feel they're part of something bigger, even when times are hard.

Being proactive in these situations is key. As a baseline, deploy a brief employee survey in your announcement email so they know they have a "direct" link for feedback. Then map out the tasks that will need reassigning and determine which ones can be executed using AI. This will alleviate some of the workload you're placing on your already busy employees and save them the stress and burden of additional work.

GlasgowGPT perspective: 1. Transparent Communication: Be honest about the situation. No one likes feelin' left in the dark. 2. Empathy and Support: Show compassion for those affected and dae whit ye can to ease their transition. 3. Recognize Efforts: Acknowledge the hard work of yer remaining staff. Let them know they're valued. 4. Foster Team Spirit: Bring the troops thegither to tackle challenges and remind them they're aw in it wi'agether. Hold yir heid up high, even in tough times. Keep the engagement flame burnin' and show folk yer got their backs.