The Importance of Honest Workplace Conversations Post-Layoff

If you're a manager or senior leader, did your stomach just clench up reading the title of this article?

It's ok, I don't blame you.

Layoffs suck - plain and simple. Being part of one, having to facilitate one (#hr folks, my heart goes out to you), or remaining after one's occurred - they're all bad. Layoffs happen for SO many reasons. Some reasonable, some totally unreasonable and avoidable.

In the aftermath of layoffs, the atmosphere at work (in person or virtually) can feel uncertain, volatile, psychologically unsafe, and 384 other ways that I don't have time to list in this article.

As a leader, when it comes to talking to your team, or an entire company, after a layoff - it's like looking at people who are standing at a cliff edge, looking to you to throw them a rope - that they won't necessarily believe will keep them from falling.

As leaders, managers, and or company owner, you're in a position of influence and leadership to be able to lead these conversations.

That's why having honest conversations about how people are feeling post-layoff is a critical non-negotiable must-have for morale, and more. And for you KPI-focused folks, for #productivity .

• Can you make everyone feel better & is it your responsibility to? No
• Is having honest conversations important so the company can acknowledge what's happened, talk about the impact, address concerns, and focus on how to navigate the next steps realistically? YES.

Is this article THE ANSWER? No. No article or resource is.

So, let's talk about some best practices to get you through to hopefully help take the edge off, and take a look at: why leadership #rolemodeling matters post-layoff, some ways you can navigate these conversations, solutions you can offer to your teams on how to navigate these changes for themselves. And, why having open, honest talks post-layoffs is a non-negotiable in any company's survival kit.

WHY THIS MATTERS

Transparency: The Essential Raincoat in the Torrential Downpour of Uncertainty

Why should people gather around the proverbial campfire and have a 'heart-to-heart' about layoffs? I'll tell you why.

It's not just about making everyone feel warm and fuzzy, it's about clarity.

Layoffs send ripples through an organization like a comet landing in a lake. People feel it. Employees understandably worry about their job security and workload increases for the lay-off survivors (queue Survivor's Guilt and 'when is the other shoe going to drop' vibes).

Survivors of a layoff are like survivors of a shipwreck. The boat sank, but they're there, bobbing in the ocean, wondering what to do next.

Honest conversations help people see the rescue ship on the horizon. Morale matters, and post-layoff, a "Hey, this is what happened, here's why, it sucks, and here's how we can move through this together," goes a long way.

Transparency lets your team know what's happening, why it's happening, and how it affects them, so they're not blindly fumbling around in the dark (and they should never have to by the way).

IS HAVING REALLY HONEST CONVERSATIONS POST-LAYOFF A GOOD IDEA...?

Yes, this is a rhetorical question. Yes, I had to ask it.

Because there are plenty of liability-laden fears that people have. Or conversations they just don't want to have. They may be asking themselves, "What's the point of talking about this? We just need to get on with it."

Well, in the aftermath of layoffs, silence is not golden; it’s like trying to fix a flat tire with a cheese grater. Here’s why:

• Clarity Amidst Chaos: Layoffs stir up a tornado of rumors. Conversations dissipate the fog, making it clear what’s what.
• Humanizing the Issue: Behind every layoff statistic is a person with bills to pay and dreams to chase. Conversations remind us that we're dealing with people, not just numbers on a balance sheet.
• Rebuilding Trust: Layoffs destroy the company's 'house'. Honest conversations are the first bricks in rebuilding it (i.e. trust). And trust me; your team can smell corporate double-speak from a mile away. Not addressing the elephant in the room can make employees feel like they're not important enough to be kept in the loop.
• Mounting Anxiety: Survivors are like people in a horror movie, waiting for the next jump scare. Anxious anticipation can quickly become the new office 'anthem'.
• Disengagement Galore: Apathy. When employees feel unheard and uninformed, they might start updating their resumes and moving on to organizations that will treat them with the respect they feel they deserve.

HOW TO HAVE GOOD CONVERSATIONS

THE IMPORTANCE OF LEADERSHIP ROLE MODELING

• Set the Tone: If leaders avoid the topic or sugarcoat it, the rest of the team will follow suit. Leaders need to set the tone for open, honest discussions.
• Show How It's Impacted You Too: be honest about what it's been like for you too! Making it seem like you're not impacted will make you seem either dispassionate, disingenuous, or devoid of empathy. As a leader, try to be open and share how you've been impacted. This humanizes you in the eyes of your team and creates an atmosphere of openness.
• Encourage Dialogue - And Take Part In It Too: make it explicitly clear that it's okay to voice concerns about the future, and you can share yours too. It’s giving everyone permission to say what they're worried about instead of creating their own 'Pick Your Own Adventure' of what could come down the pipeline.

FOCUS ON HONESTY

• Transparency is Key: Remember, honesty is the best policy. Transparency about the company's situation, reasons for layoffs, and the way forward can calm the storm and set the sails for smoother waters.
• Set Realistic Expectations: Be honest about the challenges but also provide a glimpse of how you're hoping things will improve while acknowledging the peaks and valleys along the way.
• Communicate Future Plans: Assure your team about the organization's future plans and how their roles contribute to it. Clarity about the way forward can reduce anxiety and fear of the unknown.

FOCUS ON MENTAL HEALTH

• Acknowledge the Grief: Not to be too dark, but layoffs are like a corporate funeral. Allow people to grieve. Maybe they lost a colleague or a close friend at work. Let people mourn the change.
• Encourage Emotional Expression: Emotions are like volcano eruptions - they're better out than in. Allow your team to share how they're feeling and validate those emotions. Sometimes a good vent or a rant is all that's needed.
• Create a Psychologically Safe Space: Make sure your employees feel actually safe expressing their concerns, fears, and frustrations. An open-door policy or scheduled team check-ins can create this space for emotional ventilation.
• Provide Supportive Resources: Make sure employees are aware of your Employee Assistance Program and company's behavioral health benefits and counseling services. Sometimes an objective professionally trained ear can help people navigate how they're feeling post-lay-off.

MOVING FORWARD - LET'S DO THIS DIFFERENTLY - BECAUSE WE KNOW BETTER

Layoffs have always happened and will unfortunately continue to.

The aftermath of layoffs is a delicate and challenging period for everyone at a company. Demonstrate your company's commitment to addressing all stages of a layoff, even if it's uncomfortable. Because it's the right, and necessary, thing to do.

Providing not only resources, but also the opportunity for honest dialogue, allows employees to express their fears, uncertainties, and anxieties, and hopefully re-establishing a foundation of trust.

#mentalhealthatwork #mentalhealthmatters #layoffs #leadership

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• Need to book a fireside interview or team session about how to realistically navigate uncertainty post-layoff? Contact me here to discuss options.
• Note: A version of this article was originally posted to my blog: Real Talk. On the blog, I offer tips and tools for you to have successful conversations about mental health with your coworkers, employees, leaders, and staff. Take a peek to learn more.