MORALE BOOSTERS
Whether your organization is considering staffing cuts or not, you can bet your employees are wondering about it.  Layoffs, and even rumors of layoffs, can bring a lively, productive office to a grinding halt.  Campbell & Company’s Director of Talent Management Lynda McKay offers these tips for keeping morale up amidst the specter of staffing cuts.

• Keep your employees in the loop.  Frequent communication is the best way to curb rumors and quell fears. 
  • Communicate face-to-face rather than through impersonal means like e-mail.  Hold staff meetings when you have pertinent information to share and encourage employees to raise questions or suggestions.  In-person contact also minimizes the possibility that sensitive information gets forwarded to those outside your organization.
  • Be as open about the organization’s financial situation as possible.  If you’re weathering the storm, let your staff know that and thank them for their hard work.  If cuts are a possibility, tell staff that you are examining options to cut costs and safeguard jobs.
  • Walk around more.  A lot of the questions floating around a workplace never make it to the corner office.  Make yourself more available and you can find out what’s on your employees’ minds.  This also gives you more opportunities to acknowledge and thank your staff for their work.
• Ask for help.  If you’re looking for cost-saving measures or ways to improve productivity, ask employees for their suggestions.  Consider a questionnaire or one-on-one meetings to solicit ideas.
  • Show appreciation for the suggestions you receive and demonstrate that management has carefully considered each one.  Let employees know whether you will be able to implement their suggestions (and when) and explain why or why not.  
• Consider alternatives to layoffs such as hiring freezes, salary freezes, bonus cuts or unpaid days off.  Not only can these alternatives save money while preserving your staff, but once the economy rebounds, your organization won’t have to scramble to “staff up” again—when everyone else is fighting over the same pool of candidates.
  • None of these are ideal solutions, but you can help employees understand that a small sacrifice from everyone will save jobs.  Most employees would much rather give up an annual bonus than risk losing their position altogether.
  • Stress that these are only short-term measures and that management will regularly re-evaluate the situation.  Then regularly re-evaluate the situation.
  • Practice what you preach.  If you’re asking staff to take unpaid days or give up bonuses, you have to do the same.  Employees will notice if they’re feeling the pinch but the organization’s leaders aren’t, and the rift that causes could be extremely damaging.
• If you have to make cuts, make them strategically.  Consider which programs your organization is best known for and which are most important for revenue generation, and do what you can to preserve those positions.  Don’t overlook cuts to administrative positions and expenses. 
  • When announcing layoffs, don’t drag out the process.  Employees who are being let go are less likely to disparage your organization is the break is quick and clean.
  • Offer outplacement services and any other assistance you can to employees you have to cut. 
• Don’t ignore staff members whose positions are not being cut. 
  • Meet with staff one-on-one to discuss what responsibilities they reasonably feel they could take on and what they would like to do.  Redistribution of tasks can be an opportunity for employees to develop new skills and pursue other areas of the organization’s work that they are interested in.  Clearly communicate revised job descriptions so employees are not confused about your expectations.
  • Look for opportunities to build camaraderie among remaining staff members after layoffs.  Hold monthly social gatherings after work or whenever appropriate occasions arise.  Consider arranging a day for your staff to volunteer together for another nonprofit organization