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THE QUESTION
Our company recently underwent a round of layoffs. It’s no secret that we haven’t been doing well and it’s likely that more layoffs are coming. I can tell that my team is on edge. To be honest, I don’t even know if my job is safe. I want to let my team know that I totally understand if they want to look around for another job (I suspect many of them are already doing this) and would offer them job hunting and resume advice. But would this be unethical or put my job at risk? How can I help guide and support my team during this time of uncertainty?
THE FIRST ANSWER
Julie Labrie, president, BlueSky Personnel Solutions, Toronto
I appreciate that you care about your team and want to support them during this time of uncertainty. However, unless your upper management has explicitly told employees to explore external job opportunities, actively helping your team look for work by offering job search and resume advice could be considered a breach of your own employment agreement.
It’s up to your company’s leadership to decide when and how they want to communicate what is happening within the organization. As a manager, your role is to align with and represent that messaging. Saying anything outside of what has been formally communicated could put you in a precarious position.
That said, you can always approach your leadership to share how your team is feeling increasingly uncertain about their job security. Consider asking for guidance on how to handle this from an official communications standpoint. This should give you the clarity you seek on how to best support your employees.
In times of change, some companies will opt to be transparent, proactively encouraging their people to seek employment elsewhere. Others prefer to keep those conversations behind closed doors.
One way to support your staff, while minimizing risk, is to avoid asking too many questions and giving grace to your team members if they need time off during the workday for interviews, for example. Your quiet support will likely be felt and appreciated. Keep in mind, too, that people react differently to change and uncertainty and offering flexibility may be the best support you can give them.
THE SECOND ANSWER
Karen MacMillan, assistant professor of organizational behaviour, Ivey Business School, Western University, London, Ont.
Your instinct to be open with your team members is spot on. It is not a good idea to ignore the current tensions. Pretending everything is fine when it’s not just seems fake and inauthentic. Your team needs to be able to trust that you care about them, especially now.
If you feel comfortable, tell your boss about your plan to be candid with your team. Explain that showing concern for team members and talking about their options can help them to feel more in control. This does not mean they will leave the organization prematurely. In fact, if your staff feel supported, they may be more comfortable waiting for the organization to get back on its feet.
The goal should be to meet your team members where they are. Open the subject by calmly asking each person one-on-one about their concerns and sharing your own (if you like). You can let them know that you understand why they might be exploring other options and offer to provide a reference, if appropriate.
However, because you don’t actually know whether other layoffs are coming, you can remind your team members not to make decisions too quickly. Jumping ship out of panic can lead to more problems than staying with a struggling company too long. Your organization may find a way to avoid more layoffs.
Generally, when layoffs start happening, people get nervous. A strong leader will provide a steadying influence. It is your job to face the situation without flinching, modelling a sense of calm and care within the storm.
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