Did you hear about the daily newspaper employees who were told that their positions were being redefined, that they would have to apply for their jobs all over again and that by the time the reorganizational musical chairs stopped, 70 of them would be unemployed. Who could make this up? Staffers at The Journal News, a Westchester daily owned by Gannett, just lived through this nightmare.

This is definitely one of the harsher stories floating around. However, after we all finish shaking our heads in sympathy, there’s a question we need to ask ourselves: “If this involved us, would we be hired?”

Continue reading " Boomerang Pink Slips "

[Part III of IV]

These days, if you walk into your boss’ office and Human Resources is there as well, it may be time for a deep breath. This could be it – you’ve been laid off. Ouch.

You’re not alone. In fact, as of December 1, you joined 1.2 million other Americans who lost their jobs this year. But after the initial shock, it’s time to regroup. Life isn’t over. In fact, almost all of us know someone who ended up in a position they liked even better after losing a job. With the right approach, that can be you.

Here are five suggestions for moving on to something better:

1. Lean on your network. Family, friends—who makes you feel good? This is the time to surround yourself with support. 
2. Say goodbye nicely. Send an email or hand-written note with your new contact information to those with whom you worked. Try to include a positive point or two about your time with the organization.  
3. Do something good for yourself every single day. You’re hurting and you’re going to have to do things you may not particularly enjoy—perhaps cutting back on expenses and going through all of the administrative work involved in seeking employment. That’s why it’s really important to plan something for yourself every day that you enjoy and can anticipate. It may be as simple as spending 30 minutes reading a novel. Or working out.  Take care of yourself so you have the energy to do the other things that might not feel so good.
   

Continue reading " I’m Sorry, Your Position Has Been Eliminated "

Do you ever struggle with what to say to someone who has been “downsized”? Here are five tips from Jenny Schade of JRS Consulting, who has interviewed more than 1,000 people in the midst of turbulent organizational change:

1. Acknowledge the situation and offer to help. The most uncomfortable part of a job loss is the elephant in the room — the person who has lost his job may not want to volunteer the information and the other person is at a loss for what to say. By saying, “I was sorry to hear about your job. Anything I can do to help?,” you’re addressing the situation and immediately offering your support. That moves the conversation beyond the job loss and toward a supportive action.By the way, don’t assume you can’t do anything to help just because you don’t have a job to offer. You might offer to review a resume or you may “know someone who knows someone” and can help make a connection.
2. Take your cues from the person with whom you’re talking. If he or she changes the subject, let it go. But if he or she wants to talk, be ready to listen and offer support. Just reflecting the other person’s feelings can feel very supportive. For example, if your friend tells you, “Waiting for them to announce who was staying and who was going was the worst part,” you could respond, “That uncertainty sounds really stressful.”
3. Focus on listening but be sensitive about asking too many questions. Asking, “How many job interviews do you have lined up?” can sound intrusive. It’s fine if your friend volunteers information but don’t ask questions that may make him or her feel stressed.
   

Continue reading " What to Say When a Colleague Has Been Laid Off "

Delivering the Bad News: Guidelines for Announcing Lay-Offs 

Lay-offs are difficult for everybody. For each individual who loses his or her job, there is someone responsible for delivering the bad news. The way that information is conveyed has a significant impact on both departing employees and those who remain with the organization. If you demoralize your workforce through poor communication, you’re going to be left with the “working wounded.“

The following are five essentials for announcing staff reductions:

• Tell employees first, working in collaboration with your legal department to insure regulatory compliance.  Show respect for employees by informing them about layoffs directly.  No one wants to learn about job losses from the media. 
• Communicate on an ongoing basis, focusing on two kinds of information: 1) Have senior management provide information about the organization’s “big picture.” It’s important to tell the whole story – why is this happening now? 2)  Direct supervisors to give employees more personal information about what the announcement means for their jobs.
• Take responsibility for the underperforming business. Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz’s letter to employees about pending layoffs last July attributed the company’s difficulties to “poor real estate decisions that were made, coupled with a very troubled economy.” Bravo to Starbucks for acknowledging that its quest for expansion clouded its judgement in site selection.

Continue reading " The Next Worst Thing to Being Laid Off "