The Do's and Don'ts of layoffs

Work long enough and you’re bound to experience layoffs. The employees who keep their jobs often just keep going about their business. Perhaps they are feeling “guilty” that they kept their job and someone else did not, but at the end of the day what can they really do? The answer…do something. Anything.

People who have been laid off have said that the worst part is feeling like a “leper”. Friends they lunched with for years, suddenly disappear from their lives. Acquaintances they may have shared a life event with are now out of touch instantaneously. For many people, their work life, is a huge part of their identity, and when that net gets snatched out from under them it can be extremely demoralizing and disheartening.

I have had people say to me, “I can’t call them, it’s awkward”. “What should I say?” So, here’s a few do’s and don’ts to follow regarding your colleagues and layoffs.

Do say:

• “Hey, it sucks that you lost your job,” because at that moment, it totally does suck. And now’s probably not the best time for that silver lining speech.
• Send them a message saying something like, “We really miss you around here” It shows that you care, and they haven’t been forgotten.
• “Would you like to grab a cup of coffee or have lunch?” This can give the person a chance to vent with someone who knows about their specific circumstance, talk about their career, or brainstorm about their next position. If they are down in the dumps it also just gets them out of the house and into some fresh air.
• If you wait a short while to contact them you could say, “Let me know if there’s any particular skill set you’d like me to endorse you for on LinkedIn”
• My personal favorite when I don’t know what to say: “I’ll bet some people have said some really silly things to you, right?!” More often than not, this gets them laughing, because let’s face it, even though people have good intentions, they can make some really asinine comments!

Don’t say:

• “I sure wish I could trade places with you” Unless you are planning on quitting and getting your boss to re-hire them this comes across as totally insincere.
•   “This is really a tough time to be out of a job, it’s going to be hard for you to find something” Those aren’t exactly the type of encouraging words they need to hear!
• “Lucky you! Opening day is next week, now you have time to go to the game!” Sometimes we make jokes because levity helps us handle uncomfortable situations, but in this case your friend probably doesn’t think it’s very funny even if they chuckle a little.
• Avoid obvious phrases like, “You should look in LinkedIn” or “Have you checked out (fill in the name of any major job search site)" These comments are both not helpful and can come across as being patronizing.
• Don’t tell them how busy you are at work now since the workload has increased. If you are looking for sympathy for your problems, head somewhere else. 

Layoff are never fun but we can all do our part to give someone a slightly softer landing. After all, a little gesture can go a long way. Have you ever been laid off? What were the nicest or most offensive things someone said or did?!