Communications

There have been many articles written about communicating with employees during difficult times, particularly if your workforce may be impacted.  The consensus is that you must.  But what does that mean?  Who should you communicate with?  What information should you share?  What are the impacts if you don’t?  What if you don’t yet have any information to share?

Employees are very astute and know when things are changing. The economic impact to businesses is a regular news story.  Many others have already been affected. As you begin to cut back on many expenses, a sense of foreboding develops.

Workers have the need to understand situations that could possibly have a profound impact on their lives. The anxiety of something possibly happening to them that is out of their control is very real.  If management does not communicate, the employees will find an explanation. Water cooler talk poses many possible scenarios.  The result is a compilation of opinions that is most likely far from the truth or real degree of impact.

This is the early stage of addressing issues that could impact your workforce.  How this stage is managed will set the tone for how everyone will react to a difficult situation.  Without communications this can quickly become an “Us against Them” scenario.  So, what do you do?

Communicate!  You may not have much information yet or what you have is not appropriate to share with the workers.  However, when management communicates to the workforce it says:

• I recognize that you are worried
• I care about what happens to you
• I respect you enough to communicate with you

Many times it’s not what you say but that you say anything at all. A gesture can be as powerful as words.  Keeping the workers informed will lessen the negative thinking and behavior.  Whatever you do, make sure that what you share is truthful and sincere.  Information that is false or perceived as obligatory can be most damaging.

Can you maintain a positive workforce when a layoff is possible?  Yes, to some degree you can.  If you stand with your employees and they know you are doing the all that you can in the best interest of the company and employees, they will maintain a sense of loyalty. This will lessen the impact to those being laid off by decreasing the intensity of the inevitable anger and hurt.  It will also create a post layoff transitional workforce that respected how you handled a difficult situation. You will need these workers on your side for a faster more effective recovery.

There will be information that you can not share with your employees.

However, the bottom line is: communicate right from the beginning, be sincere, be a partner and keep your employees informed as you face adversity together.

For support and advice for retaining your workforce contact:

Fran Allain, Employee Retention Project Manager
Phone: 603-271-2341 x 116
E-mail: fran.allain@dred.state.nh.us