Amidst growing layoff concerns are leaders who are trying to keep remaining employees engaged, productive and happy.
Job cuts are a surefire blow to company morale, as workers’ fear over what’s to come grows. In fact, research from BizReport shows that 70% of “layoff survivors” reported a decline in motivation, while 66% said they were feeling overworked since the job cuts.
If job cuts are necessary, managers are responsible for ensuring employees are prepared for changes that follow layoffs and remain calm during these periods of uncertainty.
“Managers should know what to expect after a layoff,” said Connie Whittaker Dunlop, founder of Monarch Consulting Group. “Layoffs done wrong are going to incur additional costs of hiring and defeat the initial purpose.”
In order to provide some sense of security for layoff survivors, companies must lead with transparency and accountability, or risk losing existing talent.
This can start with informing employees why a layoff was necessary, and how it will benefit the company as a whole in the future.
From there, managers will need to be clear about what changes the company will undergo with a smaller staff. This may include the concept of “quiet hiring,” which entails independent contractors coming in to complete certain tasks or workers being temporarily placed in new roles.
