Business challenge
Downsizing with dignity is essential to an organization’s reputation and brand. More importantly, it is essential to those employees who have been terminated and those who are staying. This is also critical for your organization’s stakeholders – customers, investors, and vendors.
McKinsey’s report State of Organizations 2023 describes business leaders as “walking a talent tightrope” — focusing on talent acquisition and retention while also balancing budgets in an uncertain economy.
Our approach
Downsizing a workforce is never an easy decision, but it’s a reality that companies face. Executing the process with dignity and compassion for the affected employees is beyond tricky. Downsizing is part of your employee experience. Done poorly, it will have a negative impact on your employer brand reputation and employee morale. It could put your organization in the public spotlight in a negative way. Downsizing with dignity requires planning, transparency, continuous clear communications, and empathy.
Integral insight
Integral understands the responsibility organizations have in approaching layoffs with empathy and respect for those impacted. In particular, first-line managers play a critical role in executing the process with grace and ensuring the well-being of their teams. How are you empowering your managers to communicate clearly and support their team members effectively? We can help you follow these five imperatives in real time:
- Be transparent and honest
- Offer support and resources
- Treat everyone with respect
- Communicate clearly to the remaining workforce
- Bounce forward
Read our blog post for more insight on the five imperatives.
Need a neutral third-party to talk with?
Integral provides confidential and non-judgmental guidance on communicating a reduction in force, the development of a downsizing communications strategy, or simply a confidential gut-check on your plan.
Want to learn more?
Let's talk!