Compassionate Communications

Over the past few months we have seen several colleagues downsized from their organizations and if their experience is the norm, many corporations are doing a dreadful job of handling this common occurrence in today’s work world. It may be Senior Management that makes these decisions, and it may be HR’s job to handle the paper work but shouldn’t the communications plan for this unfortunate task be seen as a priority by Internal Communications. After all it will be our job to clean up the mess after the downsizing and deal with an unmotivated and potentially disloyal employee base. And we know that there is no one as vocal as an employee who has been treated merely as an employee number rather than as a human during this devastating transition.

"Never, never, never burn internal or external bridges," says Lawrence Stuenkel, senior partner of outplacement firm Lawrence& Allen. " Friendly downsizing goes beyond your company policy book. It is the small things you do that let people know you care about their wellbeing. Let them know you will help as much as possible in the transition phase. This helps both those leaving and those staying with the company."

Senior Executives, Direct Managers and Supervisors may handle the front line communications but we all know that they can often use a little coaching when it comes to delivering key messages. Don’t they receive assistance from Internal Comm. when it comes to delivering organizational strategy? Perhaps the Communications Plan should include training on team building, workplace communications, coping with change, stress management, and effectively coaching and mentoring subordinates in a changing work environment. After hearing that one colleague was never contacted by her direct supervisor during or after the traumatic news was delivered, it would appear that they should also be taught how to handle the process with kindness and compassion.

As Internal Communicators in today’s corporate world our workload is already bordering on the impossible. We could and should insist though, that this critical and final interaction between employer and employee is communicated as effectively, strategically and compassionately as possible.

Links:
Building Employee Trust After Downsizing
Effective Downsizing