Travis Pomposello’s Post

Today’s Tip ... Announce Layoffs with Grace and Compassion There’s no easy way to announce layoffs. But you can avoid critical mistakes that could make the bad news even worse for your team. Here’s how.   Use the right tone. While it’s important to be direct, you must also deliver the news with empathy and compassion. As you acknowledge the difficulty of the situation, don’t be defensive, sentimental, or make excuses.   Be transparent about the state of the business—beforehand. While layoffs are always met with disappointment, it’s important that the news doesn’t come as a complete shock. Proactively inform your team about the state of the business on a regular basis, especially when the outlook is bad or their job stability may be at risk.    Be clear about the path forward. Frame the layoffs as a necessary element of a broader new strategy. Rebuilding your business—and your team’s morale—requires communicating a vision that will inspire trust in your remaining employees and quell their doubts.   Leave room for questions. Be prepared to share the business rationale behind the staff cuts (but consult with HR and legal teams ahead of time on what you can say). Employees will also want to know whether more layoffs are coming; without promising anything, you might share that you’re confident in the new direction and no further cutbacks are currently planned. hbr #worklifebalance

Today’s Tip ... Announce Layoffs with Grace and Compassion There’s no easy way to announce layoffs. But you can avoid critical mistakes that could make the bad news even worse for your team. Here’s how. Use the right tone. While it’s important to be direct, you must also deliver the news with empathy and compassion. As you acknowledge the difficulty of the situation, don’t be defensive, sentimental, or make excuses. Be transparent about the state of the business—beforehand. While layoffs are always met with disappointment, it’s important that the news doesn’t come as a complete shock. Proactively inform your team about the state of the business on a regular basis, especially when the outlook is bad or their job stability may be at risk. Be clear about the path forward. Frame the layoffs as a necessary element of a broader new strategy. Rebuilding your business—and your team’s morale—requires communicating a vision that will inspire trust in your remaining employees and quell their doubts. Leave room for questions. Be prepared to share the business rationale behind the staff cuts (but consult with HR and legal teams ahead of time on what you can say). Employees will also want to know whether more layoffs are coming; without promising anything, you might share that you’re confident in the new direction and no further cutbacks are currently planned. hbr #worklifebalance

Today’s Tip ... Announce Layoffs with Grace and Compassion There’s no easy way to announce layoffs. But you can avoid critical mistakes that could make the bad news even worse for your team. Here’s how. Use the right tone. While it’s important to be direct, you must also deliver the news with empathy and compassion. As you acknowledge the difficulty of the situation, don’t be defensive, sentimental, or make excuses. Be transparent about the state of the business—beforehand. While layoffs are always met with disappointment, it’s important that the news doesn’t come as a complete shock. Proactively inform your team about the state of the business on a regular basis, especially when the outlook is bad or their job stability may be at risk. Be clear about the path forward. Frame the layoffs as a necessary element of a broader new strategy. Rebuilding your business—and your team’s morale—requires communicating a vision that will inspire trust in your remaining employees and quell their doubts. Leave room for questions. Be prepared to share the business rationale behind the staff cuts (but consult with HR and legal teams ahead of time on what you can say). Employees will also want to know whether more layoffs are coming; without promising anything, you might share that you’re confident in the new direction and no further cutbacks are currently planned. hbr #worklifebalance

Today’s Tip ... Announce Layoffs with Grace and Compassion There’s no easy way to announce layoffs. But you can avoid critical mistakes that could make the bad news even worse for your team. Here’s how. Use the right tone. While it’s important to be direct, you must also deliver the news with empathy and compassion. As you acknowledge the difficulty of the situation, don’t be defensive, sentimental, or make excuses. Be transparent about the state of the business—beforehand. While layoffs are always met with disappointment, it’s important that the news doesn’t come as a complete shock. Proactively inform your team about the state of the business on a regular basis, especially when the outlook is bad or their job stability may be at risk. Be clear about the path forward. Frame the layoffs as a necessary element of a broader new strategy. Rebuilding your business—and your team’s morale—requires communicating a vision that will inspire trust in your remaining employees and quell their doubts. Leave room for questions. Be prepared to share the business rationale behind the staff cuts (but consult with HR and legal teams ahead of time on what you can say). Employees will also want to know whether more layoffs are coming; without promising anything, you might share that you’re confident in the new direction and no further cutbacks are currently planned. hbr #worklifebalance

Today’s Tip ... Announce Layoffs with Grace and Compassion There’s no easy way to announce layoffs. But you can avoid critical mistakes that could make the bad news even worse for your team. Here’s how. Use the right tone. While it’s important to be direct, you must also deliver the news with empathy and compassion. As you acknowledge the difficulty of the situation, don’t be defensive, sentimental, or make excuses. Be transparent about the state of the business—beforehand. While layoffs are always met with disappointment, it’s important that the news doesn’t come as a complete shock. Proactively inform your team about the state of the business on a regular basis, especially when the outlook is bad or their job stability may be at risk. Be clear about the path forward. Frame the layoffs as a necessary element of a broader new strategy. Rebuilding your business—and your team’s morale—requires communicating a vision that will inspire trust in your remaining employees and quell their doubts. Leave room for questions. Be prepared to share the business rationale behind the staff cuts (but consult with HR and legal teams ahead of time on what you can say). Employees will also want to know whether more layoffs are coming; without promising anything, you might share that you’re confident in the new direction and no further cutbacks are currently planned. hbr #worklifebalance

Performance-based layoffs seem so clear and easy. Find the bottom N% and show them the door. But anyone who has ever done them can tell you how incredibly hard they are. Like anything in management, you eventually get down to dealing with people one-by-one, as individuals. And that’s where performance is never so simple. The bottom member of a team of stars might well be a solid B+ performer. Someone you’d hate to lose. Also every company needs the reliable people who keep everything going day in and day out, and who will never be seen as a top performer. And the fear that resonates through the organization never motivates. It just sends the stars and poor performers alike to the door. The wave of performance-based layoffs sweeping the tech world will be more painful and costly than it seems from the quarterly report.

To Hiring Managers and Employers: Handle Layoffs with Compassion If you need to let an employee go, do it respectfully and thoughtfully. Break the news early—preferably in the morning. Don’t make someone push through a long day of work, only to inform them at 5PM that they no longer have a job. Let them leave with dignity and pay them for the full day. No one should sit at their desk thinking, “Should I keep working on this project or just break down quietly?” I’ve heard too many stories of poorly handled layoffs, and it’s a masterclass in how not to lead. Layoffs are sometimes unavoidable—budgets tighten, strategies shift, priorities change. But the delivery of difficult news doesn’t have to be cold or thoughtless. Be direct. Be empathetic. Be timely. The individual on the other side is already facing one of their hardest days. Don’t make it harder.

To Hiring Managers and Employers: Handle Layoffs with Compassion If you need to let an employee go, do it respectfully and thoughtfully. Break the news early—preferably in the morning. Don’t make someone push through a long day of work, only to inform them at 5PM that they no longer have a job. Let them leave with dignity and pay them for the full day. No one should sit at their desk thinking, “Should I keep working on this project or just break down quietly?” I’ve heard too many stories of poorly handled layoffs, and it’s a masterclass in how not to lead. Layoffs are sometimes unavoidable—budgets tighten, strategies shift, priorities change. But the delivery of difficult news doesn’t have to be cold or thoughtless. Be direct. Be empathetic. Be timely. The individual on the other side is already facing one of their hardest days. Don’t make it harder.

I’ve been hearing a lot of layoffs stories recently. And most of them aren’t good. People getting laid off while on vacation. Coming back to find their access to Slack gone. No warning. Just a morning HR call and suddenly, they’re out. After years at the company… Where has our sense of humanity gone? I understand the pressure CEOs face: - Board expectations - High pressure for profitability - Cutting costs But there’s a way to do this with dignity. If layoffs are necessary, can we at least treat people like the human beings they are? A job loss is hard enough. Losing it without compassion makes it worse. To the CEOs approving these actions, please do better. Think of the lasting impact you leave on those you let go. Employees aren’t just numbers. They’re the ones who built your success. The way you treat them in their hardest moments speaks volumes about your leadership. We can still lead with empathy in tough times. Let’s start there.

Announce Layoffs with Grace and Compassion There’s no easy way to announce layoffs. But you can avoid critical mistakes that could make the bad news even worse for your team. Here’s how.   Use the right tone. While it’s important to be direct, you must also deliver the news with empathy and compassion. As you acknowledge the difficulty of the situation, don’t be defensive, sentimental, or make excuses.   Be transparent about the state of the business—beforehand. While layoffs are always met with disappointment, it’s important that the news doesn’t come as a complete shock. Proactively inform your team about the state of the business on a regular basis, especially when the outlook is bad or their job stability may be at risk.    Be clear about the path forward. Frame the layoffs as a necessary element of a broader new strategy. Rebuilding your business—and your team’s morale—requires communicating a vision that will inspire trust in your remaining employees and quell their doubts.   Leave room for questions. Be prepared to share the business rationale behind the staff cuts (but consult with HR and legal teams ahead of time on what you can say). Employees will also want to know whether more layoffs are coming; without promising anything, you might share that you’re confident in the new direction and no further cutbacks are currently planned. This tip is adapted from “6 Mistakes Leaders Make When Announcing Layoffs,” by Amii Barnard-Bahn