Delivering news about organisational change and redundancies is never easy. But how the process is managed can have a long-lasting impact on individuals and the organisation as a whole.
So, if you have got to break the news to the staff, it is vital you communicate well. Here are some tips on how best to talk to your team, sustain performance and keep staff motivated.
1. Develop a clear communication strategy: Have a clear and consistent message based on the business rationale for change. In a difficult situation, you might feel under pressure to move away from the corporate line to sound less formal, but it is crucial to stick to the leadership message.
2. Keep it simple: People need clarity and understanding about what the current situation is, how it affects them and what the next steps are. Be concise and stick to the facts.
3. Prepare and practice: If you are giving a speech to your staff, prepare a script and practice delivering it. Take time to become confident and comfortable with the words.
4. Listen: Delivering bad news can be stressful. When they are trying to stay in control, people often speak too much and do not listen enough. This is usually due to nerves, so practicing what you want to say can really help here.
5. Timing is critical: Let the people who are being made redundant know before the rest of the world. Make sure your internal and external communications are joined up.
6. Be compassionate: Some people think they cannot be compassionate because they have to remain professional. But telling somebody that they are about to lose their job always demands compassion. — The Guardian
