Best Practices for Communicating Redundancies

I saw a post yesterday where someone found out they were being laid off when they got logged out of a system in the middle of a presentation. And another where the person's badge simply didn't work when they showed up at work that day. I think most people understand why layoffs are necessary. We may not like them, but we get it. We know that sometimes you need to cut expenses or you simply have a change in the skills needed, and we know that if you are the owner of the business, your job is to make hard decisions even if we don't always agree with them. But what I struggle with is the callousness with which layoffs are conducted. Layoffs can be done with care and humanity and it's a choice many are making not to do it that way. Some steps I would take if I were an executive navigating layoffs: 1. I would let my employees know they were a possibility as soon as the discussion began so they could explore new opportunities. 2. I would provide as many details as I could. Share potential numbers, which departments might be impacted, criteria being considered for who might be impacted. That way, people could assess their personal risk level and act accordingly. 3. I would make sure every employee got a human touch point talking through the layoff decision. No one should find out they are being let go because their email stop working one day. 4. I would provide strong financial support. Provide a severance package that accounts for the fact that many corporate job searches take 6+ months, and that unemployment covers just a fraction of lost wages. 5. I would support them with their next steps. Give them time to gather artifacts around their work, talk through what you'll share in references, offer introductions in your networks to help them land on their feet, provide job search assistance. And I would speak positively of the laid off employees externally to ensure that I'm not unintentionally making their job search tougher on them, The pushback I hear to many of these ideas is around risk. Risk that your top performers might leave when they hear about the layoffs. Risk that employees may be less engaged and motivated if they hear that layoffs are coming. Risk that employees may cause harm if they fear being laid off. From my perspective, that's just a risk executives should take. Your employees took a risk trusting you with their career; why shouldn't that risk be shared? But I also believe that a lot of the adversarial dynamics in the workplace stem from the lack of humanity. And if you treat your employees like humans who matter to the business, and you offer them transparency and respect, they'll offer that in return. Nothing is going to make a layoff feel good. But that doesn't mean they need to be cruel.

Imprint Beer Co. offers us a textbook lesson in how not to communicate layoffs to employees. The brewery recently announced mass layoffs and stopped brewing beer at its facility, blaming financial issues from water surcharges. How did they break the news to their employees? A now-deleted social media post. Cue the appropriate outrage. Former employees posted online about the abrupt firings and other toxic working conditions. Imprint's response? Defensive and snarky public replies to the employees and other online reviews. It was a PR disaster—and an example of how not to handle layoffs. Layoffs are always tough, but mishandling them can torpedo your business's reputation. Here's how to do it the right way: 1. Communicate directly: Nobody wants to find out they've lost their job via Instagram. Deliver the news in person (or at least privately) with clear reasons. Employees deserve transparency, not cryptic posts. 2. Show empathy: Layoffs are emotional. Treat people with respect—offer severance, job placement help, or even just a heartfelt apology. It's basic decency, and it matters. 3. Stay professional online: Public backlash is inevitable, but doubling down with defensive replies? That's a one-way ticket to Reputation Hell. Acknowledge mistakes, apologize, and keep it classy. 4. Reassure your team: Layoffs don't just impact those let go—they shake the entire workforce. Be honest with your remaining staff about what's next to restore trust and morale. 5. Know the law: Surprise layoffs can lead to legal trouble if you're not following notice requirements like WARN. Get it right, or get ready for a courtroom cameo. Layoffs are never easy, but they don't have to be a trainwreck. Show respect. Be transparent. Keep the drama off social media. If not, you might end up the next case study in What Not to Do When Running a Business. Nobody wants to be that brewery.

Dear Companies: Layoffs Aren’t Just Business. They’re Personal. You say, “It’s a tough decision.” You say, “It’s not performance-related.” You say, “We’re restructuring.” And maybe all of that is true. But here’s what they hear: You’re losing your income. Your routine. Your sense of stability. They gave you their time. Late nights. Extra hours. Quiet loyalty. And now they’re left with a generic email, a short Zoom call, and an empty calendar. No roadmap. No support. Just… “Thank you for your service.” Here’s the part that rarely gets said: Layoffs impact more than careers. They impact confidence. Identity. Mental health. It’s not just a job loss. It’s a life shift. So if you have to do layoffs, do them like a human being. ✅ Communicate clearly and early ✅ Offer real transition support ✅ Help with references, intros, and tools ✅ Treat people with the respect they earned Because how you handle layoffs is how people will remember you. Not by your mission. Not by your values. But by how you showed up when it was hard. Compassion doesn’t cost you anything. But the absence of it? Costs everything.

Layoffs, closures, restructuring... there’s no easy way to deliver hard news — but how you do it matters. I recently watched a video of Gary Vaynerchuk getting fired up (and I mean fired up) over a question from someone whose company announced they would be relocating their headquarters in 3 years. Yes — 3 years’ notice. They also announced that employees who chose not to relocate could keep their jobs and work remotely, but they wouldn’t be eligible for future promotions or increases. This employee was upset. She loves her job and the company, but feels management is ruining it. She asked Gary if she should cut her losses or stay, and he told her (with many trademark f-bombs) that her reaction reeked of entitlement, not injustice. He praised the company for communicating early, offering options, and giving ample time to prepare. (I’ll drop the link to the IG video in the comments if you want to see Gary go full Gary.) And this week, a coaching client called me. Their company recently announced that thousands of jobs will be eliminated by year-end, with a promise to notify impacted employees by the end of the month. No one knows who’s safe. Anxiety is high. Focus is low. We talked through how he, as a leader, could show up during this time: to keep his team informed, build trust, and support them — even while he’s in the dark himself. Here’s the thing: Companies can rarely “win” when change is coming. - If you give no notice — you’re heartless. - If you give months (or 3 years!) notice — you’re cruel for making people wait and wonder. But here’s what I know: ✳️ Transparency, even when imperfect, builds trust. So what can leaders do when change is coming, and people’s jobs — and lives — are on the line? * Communicate in person, with empathy. Even if the company made an official announcement, you need to have the conversation with your team. Meet with your team members one-on-one. Listen. Acknowledge their concerns without defensiveness. Don’t argue with feelings — they’re valid, even if the facts are off. * Be honest and transparent about what you can’t say yet. Answer questions when you can. And when you can’t, be clear about why, and when more information will be shared. People don’t expect certainty, but they do expect integrity. * Relate without centering yourself. If you’re potentially affected too, it’s okay to briefly acknowledge that. But don’t make it about you. Your role is to steady the ship, not captain a therapy circle. * Help them prepare — without feeding panic. Encourage your team to be mindful and proactive (talk with family, reach out to their network). But also remind them of the importance of staying focused and connected to the mission. Their work still matters. Their contributions still count. The truth is — if you haven’t built trust with your team before disruption hits, these conversations will be harder. But it’s never too late to start. You can’t make hard news easy. But you can make it human.

I’ve led teams through 5 layoffs at 3 companies - back to back. 😮💨 I never planned for it and I wasn’t trained for it, but I learned fast. With layoff news continuing to hit our feeds, I want to speak directly to leaders navigating this right now. 🩵 Your team needs you. Not just the ones who were let go. The ones who are still here, too. For those who were impacted: ➟ Offer your network ➟ Don’t disappear - call, check in…more than once. (It's pretty wild how many people tell me they never heard from their manager post-layoff.) ➟ Send voice notes, emails, intros ➟ Ask how you can help and mean it For those still here: They're not always feeling “lucky.” They’re hurting too. Survivor’s guilt, fear, numbness, grief - it’s all very real. 🫶 Here’s what to do in the first 2 weeks: 📌 Skip the motivational speeches ➟ Now isn’t the time for “rally cries.” It’s the time for honesty, space, and care. ❇️ Lower the bar (for now) ➟ Don’t expect peak performance. Give people room to process. ➟ Offering space says: “I trust you.” ✨ Shift how you lead through your 1:1s ➟ Ask: “On a scale from 1–10, how are you today?” ➟➟➟ If they say 7, ask: “Why not a 6?” ➟➟➟ If it’s lower, ask: “What would be most helpful for you move up the scale?” (*This is a motivational interviewing tactic meant to get people to shift from feeling stuck.) 🫂 Be human. Full stop. ➟ Say: “This sucks.” ➟ Say: “I don’t have all the answers.” ➟ Say: “I’m feeling it too.” That kind of leadership builds trust that lasts. And if you were impacted, or if you're leading through the aftermath: Don’t let anyone tell you a version of “suck it up" or attempts at minimizing your experience. Yes, it’s business. Yes, this happens. But it doesn’t mean people aren’t allowed to feel. You spend more waking hours at work than almost anywhere else. If this shook you - feel it. That’s human. 💫 #layoffs #heretohelp #communicatewithconfidence #leadwithclarity #coaching #sales

HR leaders know that layoffs are sometimes unavoidable, but how you handle them makes all the difference for everyone involved. I've seen companies handle this well, and I've seen companies handle it poorly. The difference usually comes down to three things. 1. Lead with transparency and respect Involve senior leadership in delivering the news. Have clear, objective criteria for decisions. Acknowledge the emotional impact and give people time to process. No one should be learning about layoffs through rumors or feel like they're being treated unfairly. 2. Provide real support, not just paperwork Offer outplacement services that include career coaching, not just a handoff to a website. Help people understand their options and next steps. Show compassion during a difficult time. 3. Communicate with remaining employees People who stay are watching how you treat those who leave. Be honest about the company's future and their roles. Focus on rebuilding team cohesion and maintaining morale. Remember, how you handle departures affects everyone's trust. The companies that do this well don't just survive difficult transitions. They often come out stronger because people see they're treated with dignity, even during tough times. Want more strategic tips? Send me a DM for a link to my HR Transitions Checklist.