Thursday, March 26, 2009  
New York, NY

How to Keep Your People Productive After a Downsizing

Today’s downsizings are leaving employees with more work to do in less time with fewer resources to draw on. Workplace expert Lisa Aldisert recommends that leaders of these organizations over-communicate at these times so that employees feel self-empowered, rather than demoralized.

“Not only is there bad morale when companies lay off employees, but many of those who remain are fearful that they will be next,” says Aldisert. “During these times, people will rebound more quickly if they feel that they are making important contributions to their firms.”

Leaders can follow the following steps to gain commitment from employees after a downsizing:

1. Clarify newly reallocated responsibilities of team members right away. Don’t wait for weeks to go by before telling people what is going to change.

2. Communicate what is going on within the organization so that people aren’t left in the dark. Employees will respect a culture of transparency and accountability even if they don’t necessarily like the outcome.

3. Recognize the positive actions of your employees as they occur. Small acts of acknowledgement go a long way for people who are fearful of change.

4. Make sure that your people are doing what they’re best at, not just what you need done. When people do work that fulfills them, they’re more likely to cooperate in taking on work outside of their routine.

5. Stay visible and accessible. If people perceive that you are hiding, gossip and rumors will abound.

By implementing these ideas, you will send a message that you value your people. If you commit to them, they will be more likely to commit to you.