Employers Can Help Begin the Healing Process: Communicate with Survivors of Layoffs

The word downsizing: it doesn’t have a very positive ring to it, does it? 

There is a lot of negative talk going around these days. And when we talk about downsizing and employee layoffs, I have been stressing how important it is for employers to remain upfront, honest and clear in their communications. 

During these times, we don’t want to overlook a very important employee group - the survivors. It is imperative that organizational leaders remain clear in their communications with them, as well. 

In discussions about this group of employees, they are often referred to as the layoff survivors or layoff refugees—again, these labels have quite the negative connotation. 

Surviving employees of a downsizing can find themselves feeling uneasy because: 

1. They are told they are the lucky ones because they are the ones who made the cut; but
2. They may naturally feel as though they’re just waiting for the other shoe to drop. 

At the same time, managers are dealing with the aftermath of a downsizing. They face the tasks of boosting employee morale and maintaining productivity, so they too have their hands full. 

So, I see these times as a kind of ‘wake-up call.’ I’ve seen a number of studies that point to as many as three-fourths of these employees (layoff survivors) reporting that their productivity has declined and their customer service experiences have also deteriorated. Other studies show that more than 50 percent of those remaining workers (after a downsizing) believe that the quality of the company’s products or services has declined since the event, and that their company’s future prospects are worsening. 

Of course, I understand that any employer reading this analysis may wonder, “What should we do if we have no choice about downsizing?” 

While I don’t have all the perfect answers to that question, here are a few suggestions: 

1. Understand some of the human emotions that are involved. We’re hearing more and more about a myth that surviving employees will be so grateful to still have a job that they will work even harder and be more productive. But some studies are showing that’s not always true. While it seems that most human conditions nowadays are tagged as a “syndrome,” this one is really happening. We can see that it is not only distressing to be let go, but it’s also distressing to those employees left remaining in their jobs. I’ve heard employees say something similar to this: “After the layoffs, it felt as though as I’m the last man standing, because I’m surrounded by empty cubicles and it’s just a strange feeling.”
2. Consider acquiring or using an employee assistance program (EAP) or request the services of onsite counselors. These professionals are trained to help employees understand what is and what is not in their control, so they don’t just feel totally helpless.
3. Invest time and energy into those remaining employees. Pay attention to them and you will be doing a lot to boost morale and improve productivity. Most importantly, work to rebuild any trust that may have been lost due to damages caused by the layoffs, even though unintentional. Work to be reassuring and forthcoming in order to repair trust that may now be in a fragile state.
4. Face the realities stemming from the employees’ feelings, and give managers the tools to handle issues and questions that might arise. Managers must learn or know how to demonstrate that they value each employee’s service and how to acknowledge the ways that each employee contributes to the organization.
5. Reassure employees about the security of their jobs, as much as possible. Obviously employers cannot make promises, but employees will be looking for some reassurances.
6. Move surviving employees closer together, physically speaking. An employee coming to work every day and surrounded only by empty desks or cubicles can grow to feel very lonely or isolated.
7. Discourage employees from working excessive overtime and encourage them to take care of themselves. How much would it cost to put a basket of fresh fruit out every once in awhile?  Some employers are implementing exercise breaks, if even for five minutes. Such simple activities can help refresh, invigorate and relax employees. 

What is the bottom line? Employers will want to keep their surviving employees engaged and productive, if they want to successfully recover from these devastating downsizing events. 

It is also good to remember, especially now with all the various online social media sites, that laid off and surviving employees have various ways to spread negative or hurtful information about organizations. 

For example, as previously reported by this HRTools.com Insight titled, “What Would Your Ex-Employees Say About You? New Internet Site Allows Workers to Rate Former Employers,” employees can blast companies anonymously.   

So keep your communications open, honest and clear, and consistently work to maintain those trusting relationships.

Employers will want to keep their surviving employees engaged and productive, if they want to successfully recover from these devastating downsizing events.