3 Ways to Fail at Communicating

Layoffs

Giving bad news is never easy. However, for business leaders and HR
professionals, effectively delivering tough news to your workforce is a part of the job.
And there is perhaps no harder news to give than that of layoffs.

We’ve seen a lot of headline layoffs this past year as a result of the pandemic and
the forecast for this year is mixed, with about 32% of the U.S. CFOs anticipating
further decrease in headcount.

With industries such as travel having a weak outlook through summer, many
companies continue their belt-tightening measures, which may result in more
announcements of involuntary terminations in the near future. If you too are
preparing to give this type of notice to one or many employees, below are the three
most common mistakes to avoid when conveying the news.

What NOT to Do
When Communicating Layoffs

Ramble on and on…and on…

“Avoid alienating the reader in the opening paragraph, but get to the bad news
quickly.”

– Ken O’Quinn, Corporate Writing Coach

This is not the time to pad your difficult news with filler content in hopes of softening
the blow. For example, refrain from leading the talk with the company’s latest
ambitious business strategy or plans for a new product line. Prefacing tough news
with seemingly “good” news could muddle the message and make it appear as if the
news of workforce cuts are a footnote to other company news. Moreover,
punctuating “good” news with the news of layoffs ends the entire message on a
down note.

Instead, get to the point quickly and address the issue head on. If there is “good” or
relevant news directly connected to the layoffs that will impact workers immediately–
for example, increased severance packages or the offer of outplacement services–
then be sure to mention these benefits and any necessary next steps. Bottom line:
Your employees are adults. Best to be direct and not sugarcoat.

Use lots of flowery words

“Flowery or long answers don’t help. Use short answers and stick to the facts.
People are generally smarter than executives give them credit for. So, if business
conditions are bad, say that.”

— Bill Rosenthal, CEO of a Corporate Communications Firm

In 2014, Microsoft announced the largest layoff in its history at that time–which
impacted 14% of its global workforce, then equal to about 18,000 employees–
the media scrutinized the written memo through which Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella
announced details of the labor cuts.
One critique of the memo was its use of vocabulary like “work simplification,”
“integration synergies,” and “strategic alignment” to pave a roundabout way to
announce the layoffs. Again, being honest and direct are key.

Contradict yourself
“Uniformity of messages is imperative… Layoffs are situations where people are
more likely to have an opinion, and they’ll express it.”

— Gene Grabowski, Corporate Communications Strategist

These difficult moments are character-building for businesses. They reveal

defining characteristics, or lack thereof, in a company’s leadership–one of
which is poise under pressure. Without a process in place, these crucial moments
can backfire, triggering unintended meaning that can twist under the pressure of
public opinion.

Negativity can spread quickly, and perhaps most susceptible to this negativity are
the employees who remain with the company and experience varying emotions, from
resentment to guilt of surviving the layoff. Mistakes made in communicating layoffs, if
left unaddressed, can snowball into low employee morale and significantly challenge
employee retention.

Keys to Communicating a
Reduction in Force
The majority of experts agree that preparing a clear and consistent message,
practicing the delivery of that message aloud, and providing a channel for
feedback post-announcement are best practices worth adopting. Whether done in
writing, or in person, communicating bad news truly requires soft skills
where maintaining empathy, patience, and calm are vital to success.

Author : TALLULAH DAVID