Employers can lessen the sting of layoffs with these best practices
Coronavirus in Oklahoma: Employers can lessen the sting of layoffs with these best practices
by PAULA BURKES
Published: Fri, April 10, 2020 5:00 AM
Thousands of employees are unfortunately tasked with laying off millions of Americans amid the coronavirus outbreak — some surveys suggesting the number could already represent 12% of Americans.
Those employers may face no other options with regard to employment, but there are best practices that should be heeded, and employers can work to treat outgoing employees with respect and even offer help finding new jobs.
In Oklahoma, Jim Farris is one professional working hard to assist employers and employees affected by the coronavirus-related job losses in Oklahoma.
For 40 years, Farris’ human resources firm, James Farris Associates, has helped numerous state companies find workers and, at times, lay off workers.
Individuals across all industries have recently sought Farris’ help to find new jobs — or at the very least temporary jobs to get them through the quarantine, until they can go back to their primary work in the hospitality, energy and other fields. Some telecommuting workers have been let go by email.
Meanwhile, Farris started outplacement work for three organizations that terminated employees in the wake of the outbreak, but want to help them find other jobs.
“They care about their people and want to give them all the tools they need to be successful,” said Farris, whose firm among other things helps jobseekers fine-tune their resumes and interviewing skills.
Farris and other workplace experts caution employers to lay off with care.
“You need to make it as personal as you can,” Farris said. “People who are treated badly tend to let people know about it, and that will negatively affect you when things turn around and you’re trying to hire again.”
Business author Deb Boelkes believes how you lay off someone should be an extension of how you lead.
"Great leaders do both with compassion, integrity and candor," Boelkes said. "They lead with an open heart and the assurance that employees do have what it takes to excel — and they let people go the same way.”
Above all, follow the Golden Rule, treating people how you‘d want to be treated, she said.
“You would not want to hear bad news via email or a mass Zoom call, or be treated as if you didn't matter to your supervisor and your company,” Boelkes said. “Instead, schedule a one-on-one meeting when you have a lot of time, because you will want to offer plenty of space for the conversation. If you keep your message authentic, from the heart and honest, they are most likely to receive it well."
Boelkes recommends specifically spelling out the employees’ strengths and contributions that future employers will recognize and value and brainstorming companies that may offer their dream jobs.
“Call contacts to inquire about opportunities, give referrals freely, and keep in touch with employees,” to see how things are going, Boelkes said.
Oklahoma professionals agree.
“Whenever we’ve had to let anyone go, we allow for an emotional response and always do what we can to help them in their search," LifeSquire founder Valerie Riley said. "Sometimes that means lining up interviews, sometimes it means offering to write a reference letter and other times we’ve helped them practice interviewing.
“In all cases, we like to make sure people leave us better than they found us and we honor our mission to be a blessing, even when it’s unpleasant,” she said.
Danielle Ezell, partner with the Mettise Group, said, “Always be empathetic. It’s OK to show emotion and say, ‘I'm sorry this is happening to you.’”
Laying off employees via email is poor form, said Tracey Zeeck, owner at Bumbershoot PR.
“Lead the conversation with the truth,” Zeeck said. “It helps them with empathy, first, which preserves your relationship. It also helps the person being let go understand that it really isn't their fault, which helps them keep their confidence that they'll need to move on to a job search, with their head held high.”
Zeeck said she’s found jobs for a few employees before she let them go. Some took them, others didn’t, but she felt better for trying.
Pursepower.com CEO Donna Miller is a former HR executive with Cox Communications and Chaparral Energy believes the way you treat terminated employees affects how remaining employees view you as a leader.
“Being empathetic is OK. But, managers sometimes spend too much time saying how terrible they feel when it’s not about them," Miller said. "The way you treat terminated employees will absolutely have an impact on the way remaining employees feel about you. Help the rest of the team say ‘goodbye‘ somehow; this will help them grieve and transition.”
If there’s a best time to lay off employees, it’s late Friday afternoon, Adam Childers, an employment defense attorney with Crowe & Dunlevy, believes.
“It gives the employee the weekend to be with family and friends and game-plan what steps to take the following week after he or she has time to re-charge,” said Childers, who also recommends providing the employee the bad news in a quiet and confidential setting away from other employees.
Have a witness, but have only one person speak for the company, stay on message and avoid argument or over-explanation, he said.
"Be ready to explain the answers to the immediate questions the employee is likely to pose," Childers said. "For example, when it comes to health care coverage, it is a good idea to be ready to tell the employee about the COBRA notification they will be receiving.
"With the federal and state government creating enhanced unemployment benefits during the pandemic, it’s helpful to have a short summary of how to apply for benefits on hand to offer to the employee,” he said. “Finally, don’t overwhelm the employee with facts and figures about why the termination is necessary. Use simple and direct terminology, and make clear that what the employee is experiencing is part of a shared experience for employees and management alike as everyone struggles to find the right answers in these difficult times."
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