Tough Messages in Tough Times

Many of the organizations I've been working with recently are facing tough times. If they aren't laying people off, they are cutting budgets big time. We all know the slumping economy translates into difficult decisions in the workplace. And how these decisions are carried out impact how employees feel about the organization. While these tough times may force us to have some tough conversations, they don't have to lead to decreased employee motivation or commitment.

Here are a few tips for maintaining morale when times get tough:

• Tell them all you know. Hiding details or facts from employees rarely benefits anyone. And, employees eventually find out the full truth. If you haven't bee
100% up front with the details from the beginning, your lack of transparency will be held against you in the future.

• Tell them when you will know more. Sometimes you don't know all the facts or all the possible outcomes. The best thing you can do is to admit what you don't know and let them know when you expect to have more information. Of course, you'll want to deliver on your promise to follow-up.

• Provide options. In uncertain times, we want to know that we have viable choices. In the case of layoffs or budget cuts, you may not have an option as to whether the decisions are to be made. However, you can offer options to employees about how the changes will affect them. One organization is offering employees the option to take a lower paying job or a severance package. At least these choices leave employees somewhat in control of their destiny.

• Show your pain. These are painful times when people are losing the status quo. It's completely appropriate and often-times welcomed for the person delivering the message to show that it's a tough and painful decision. I still remember a former boss who said, "this was one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make." I believed him.

• Don't sugarcoat or minimize the message. You may want to deliver the bad news in a way that makes it seem "not so bad." You may even sprinkle in a few "look on the bright sides." While a certain amount of optimism may seem appropriate, be careful not to overdo it. What may seem like "no big deal" to you may be a huge deal to the employee who is hearing about it for the first time.

Almost 20 years ago I was hired by the City of Phoenix and within three months of being hired, the City experienced a major period of cut-backs. Hundreds of positions were cut and my job was on the list to be eliminated. Because I was the most junior person in my classification, this meant that I could have been laid off. I will never forget the candor that was shown to me by my boss, Mike Ingersoll. Mike followed these tips. He told me everything he knew, as soon as he learned of it. He was honest about how the cuts might affect me, and he was truly conce
ed about how I was handling the news.

After a long, three-month process it was determined that my job was safe. During those three months, I was on edge--pins and needles. Looking back, I am grateful that Mike kept me informed and provided me with options as early as he could so that I could prepare for the potential loss. Not every organization can be as transparent as this-but I encourage you to find ways to deliver the tough messages in a way that keep employees informed and allow them choices. When you do, employees feel respected and when they feel respected, they are more likely to be committed and motivated.