Layoffs stink, but there’s right (and wrong) ways to execute them.
Layoffs stink, but sometimes they’re inevitable. In [very] recent times, for instance, we saw major reductions in force (RIFs) at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic (which mercifully abated in many contexts) and then another round as growth and “easy money” became harder to come by (2022-23ish). Some were handled with a fair degree of class and others not so much (for cringe, click here and here), but all were painful.
For better or worse, RIFs are just one of many tough tasks that HR leaders are asked to carry out for their organizations. Unfortunately, we don’t always train leaders on how, exactly, to conduct a layoff and, even when we do, there’s simply no substitute for the real thing. There are many excellent resources that can help a first-timer work through this process, including general overviews of layoff decisions (here), how to communicate decisions (here and here; also plenty of examples of how not to let people know their laid off), and how to manage “survivors” post-layoff (here and here). Even still, these resources are probably not enough for those that need to really get “into the weeds” on layoff execution.
Thankfully, the HR community is strong and very, very helpful for topics like this. While every situation is different and there’s always plenty of room for critical thinking, rarely do you need to recreate the wheel. As just one example of community support, my friend and business partner Andrew Bartlow (Series B Consulting, People Leader Accelerator) created an excellent, impressively thorough, and totally FREE RIF toolkit that any small or medium-sized business leader can use if they’re in the unfortunate spot of needing to layoff workers. You can link to this resource HERE and, of course, you can reach out to Series B for additional consulting if needed.
If you’re working through a layoff, my heart goes out to you. As always, I encourage you to err on the side of kindness and remember to give yourself some grace, too. Here’s to better days ahead.
