How to notify staff about layoffs

GLC · May 2003

We are about to do another round of layoffs and last year when we laid off a few staff, we heard complaints from the non-laid off employees about how we informed everyone of the cutbacks. Those that were being laid off were told by individual meeting, but we sent a memo out to the remaining staff on the layoffs. I'm just wondering how others notify their employees (the non-laid off staff) when there are layoffs. Do you meet with each department and inform them as a group, send notice by memo from the President, hold an organization wide meeting, etc. Who is in the meeting with the laid off personnel? I'm assuming HR and maybe someone else would be in that meeting.

ritaanz · May 2003

When you say staff, are you speaking of exempt, supervisory personnel?

Each month we have a financial meeting with all of our department managers. At this meeting we go over the financial results of the previous month and discuss what the future months look like with orders booked. If we are considering a lay off, this is where and when we discuss it. We try not to have any surprises for our department managers. After the lay off is done, each manager will have a session with their employees.

GLC · May 2003

I'm speaking of supervisory and line staff. The line staff feel the news about the layoffs should not come from their immediate supervisor but from one of the senior managers.

Sunny · May 2003

When we had a staff layoff the individuals affected were, of course, told privately. Within the next couple of days, the highest on-site manager met with the rest of the staff to explain the lay-off, answer questions and try to alleviate fears. This meeting helped our people assimilate the changes and did lay to rest some rumors.

ray a · May 2003

We have monthly "all hands" meetings with everyone in the facility. We make the next all hands meeting right after we finish with the reductions. The VP explains what we did and why and tells everyone we are done. He emphasizes the business reasons and tries to assure the remaining people that there is nothing to fear in the immediate future. Of, course there are no guarantees, and he gives no false hope.

How to notify staff about layoffs

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