By Cara Whedbee, Ph.D.| HRTools.com Business Writer
If you are like most companies, you are probably having to deal with the effects of downsizing and layoffs on your business, as well as your employees—especially the survivors (the employees left after a downsizing) who are now most likely feeling overworked, stressed-out and unacknowledged.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics Mass Layoffs Preliminary Summary for the third quarter of 2008, “Employers initiated 1,330 mass layoff events that resulted in the separation of 218,158 workers from their jobs for at least 31 days. Layoff events reached their highest level for the third quarter since 2001, while separations reached their highest level since 2003.” The preliminary summary also states that a survey of the employers who laid off employees in the third quarter of 2008 shows that only 20 percent of them expect a recall of that event (when recalls for layoff events due to seasonal work and vacation periods were eliminated).
As the statistics listed above show, more and more layoffs are taking place right now so those employers have to focus on getting their layoff survivors to be exponentially more productive while mourning the loss of their co-workers and constantly having to deal with the worry that they might be the next to go, not to mention managing the guilt they feel for still having a job when so many others do not (this guilt is often referred to as “Survivor’s Guilt”). So what can employers do to help their survivor employees “stay on the island” after such an emotional event?
Reduce the Effects of Survivors Feeling Overworked, Stressed-Out and Unacknowledged
According to a Senior Human Resources Specialist, Beth Crosby, in her Insight titled, “During Downsizing, Be Sure to Remember the Survivors,” here are some ways you can help your survivors feel less overworked, stressed-out and unacknowledged:
- “Make Sure Your Management Is Visible—You want to make sure your senior management is visible for the surviving employees. They shouldn’t be off in London or on vacation or hiding in the closet when this is all happening.
They need to be visible. They need to be accessible. They need to be part of the communication process. They need to be having meetings before and after the layoff and communicating clearly.
- Communication is So Important—You can’t over communicate during a downsizing, but the communication does need to be open, honest and two-way. Supervisors and managers need to be willing to listen to survivors’ concerns and be empathetic.
- Give Time for Grieving—Allow for a period of grieving. These folks have lost their friends and they’re uncertain about their own future.
The organization is going to recover a lot more quickly if managers and employees are allowed to vent their frustrations and ask questions.
Also, explain why downsizing was necessary because if you don’t, they’re going to make up reasons, and rumors are going to abound.
- Don’t Make Promises You Can’t Keep—The surviving employees will likely get back to business as usual after everything is said and done, however, you do have to be careful about not over-promising. You don’t want to make statements that you can’t really make in good faith, like, “We’re never going to have another layoff, this is it, the last one.” You don’t know what the future’s going to bring, so you can’t make that kind of promise.
- Get the Survivors into Their New Positions—Employees are going to want to know how the work’s going to get done now, so engage them in a process improvement discussion.”
Moving Forward
Crosby also has some suggestions for “total quality improvement” after a downsizing/layoff event. She says, “In order to get everything situated and put the rest of your employees into their new positions, you need to figure out:
- What needs to be done
- Who has the best skills to be able to get it done
- Who has the time to get it done
- Who has the talent to get it done.”
It’s also a good idea to explore suggestions for ways that productivity and efficiency can be increased because you have fewer people to do it now. There is no better way to discover these ideas than to ask those survivors who have been “working in the trenches” with your products, processes and people the whole time they have worked for the company. This trust in your survivors’ opinions and experience can also help to lessen their feelings of being overworked, stressed-out and unacknowledged.
The bottom line of a downsizing may be your company’s profit margin—but true profit margin is tied directly to your survivors. So find ways to help them feel acknowledged and valuable every day after your company’s layoff event. They are the key to your growth out of this economic downturn.
Legal Disclaimer
The information contained in this document is for general, informational purposes only and is not intended to be legal advice. This information is not a substitute for the guidance of a professional and should not be relied upon in reference to any specific situation without first seeking the advice of a qualified HR professional and/or legal counsel regarding applicable federal, state or local laws. HRTools, Insperity and their respective employees make no warranties, express or implied, and make no judgments regarding the accuracy of this content and/or its applicability to a specific situation. A reference or link to another website is not an endorsement of that site or service.