Lots of organisations, large and small, are wrestling with the very real and daunting prospect of making redundancies over the next few months. Having sat on both sides of the table, both supporting Line Managers informing their team members that they are being made redundant, and also being told that I am being made redundant, my advice & top tips would be as follows:
- Be prepared; plan and organise prior to kicking off the process
- Be straightforward and compassionate when delivering the message
- Be prepared for a range of emotions, the employee may not respond as you expect them to
- Put the person first, remember each of us has had our own individual journey over the last few months, so will have our own particular perspective on the news
- Communicate, communicate, communicate. Communicate with those employees who are affected by redundancy and also those who aren’t. Keep communication channels open and 2-way. Keep updating your messaging as the situation develops
- Consider your organisational values, and act in accordance with them
- Keep an open mind; be willing to genuinely consider all options, suggestions and alternatives raised by employees during the consultation process
- Be supportive; offer the displaced employees support to move on as positively as possible. Outplacement and job search support really can make a huge difference.
If you’d like to discuss further, or need support please get in touch.