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title: How to communicate a layoff
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9 comms steps to take ahead of a workforce reduction

| View in browser June 14, 2022 👋 rethINK PR is our weekly newsletter filled with useful PR, content marketing and digital media advice. We tell you what works, what doesn’t and why. OFF-MUTE 🔈 💬 If everyone says there’s going to be a recession, there probably will be.   📉 Nearly 16,000 tech workers lost their jobs last month. This downward trend ignited from market volatility and global crises, and the signs are all pointing in the same direction as the S&P 500 dips in and out of bear market territory.    💥 A layoff is a crisis for every company. It doesn’t matter who you are or how big or small you are.    👀 And we’ve seen plenty of bad examples—from group Zoom layoffs to masses of rescinded job offers.    💛 No layoff goes “well,” but the impact can be gentler with a humane and responsive communications strategy.    🔮 If workforce reduction could become part of your future, here’s what you should think about now:    ☑️ Get internal alignment. Your HR and comms leaders need to be on the same page. Together, create a thoughtful plan that includes internal messaging and a clear timeline.    ☑️ Know your “why now.” You must be able to communicate the market conditions and the events that led you to this difficult decision.    ☑️ Develop a (crisis) communications plan. Do you need to announce the layoffs publicly? No. But you do need to be ready to issue a statement. During the early days of a recession, layoff news is big…and newsworthy (hint: expect media inquiries). Write an external statement that simply explains what happened and why. Then ask yourself, did my statement bring up more questions that are currently unanswered? If “yes”, your statement needs work.    ☑️ Plan for leaks. What you say and write internally could be shared externally. Be ready for a disgruntled employee to live-tweet a company meeting.    ☑️ Act and speak like a human. The people affected are human beings. They will take it personally. Listen to your lawyers but don’t forget to use your own intuition about the words you choose to use in the moment. How the layoff goes down matters.    ☑️ Pause celebratory posts. Were you just named a Best Place to Work? It’s not a good look to share this accolade after cutting your team. And it’s an even worse look to brag about revenue growth just months after the layoff. Pro tip: turn down the volume on promotional social media (and triple-check to make sure your content isn’t tone-deaf).    ☑️ Get your (re)hiring priorities straight. While you’re at it – pull down open job listings from your website and other platforms if you’re not planning to hire any time soon.    ☑️ Create a plan to rebuild. The hard work of renewing a sense of camaraderie and rebuilding team culture starts immediately after a layoff. Your employees are always your number one audience, but especially now. Focus on your internal communications and share your vision/plan for what’s next as you ride this out and adjust target business goals.  ☑️ Avoid back-to-back layoffs. It’ll just spread more fear and uncertainty.  JUST FOLLOWING UP 🙋 💯 Values mean nothing if you don’t stick to them during the hard times. Use them to guide your actions (and words) during the workforce reduction.  CLIENT INK ✨ Feature Story Netskope – Security Transformation For Digital Transformation Thought Leadership Try your hand at sustainable gardening with at-home hydroponics Local Story NexHealth, a California-based Unicorn, Opens its Largest Office in Draper Funding News Data governance startup Immure lands $100M to pursue acquisitions OPEN TABS 📱 📌 How to Communicate During a Layoff  📌 Crisis Communications 101: Not If But When  📌 Without A Plan, PR Can Only Make Your Crisis Less Bad  📌 Community Building 101: Make It About Them, Not You 📌 Social Media 101: To Post Or Not To Post  📌 PR During Even More Unprecedented Times  📌 How Newsworthy Is Your Story? 📌 8 Key Elements Of Thought Leadership 📌 7 Ways Comms Help Recruit And Retain Top Talent  📌 Workplace Wisdom For 2022        “Offering hope is critical to rebuilding your culture and getting your organization back on track.”    — Beth Monaghan, founder & CEO, Inkhouse       💬 Tell your friends to subscribe here 📕 Bookmark our newsletter archive 🐦 Tweet now about this week’s topic Inkhouse, 260 Charles Street, Suite 200, Waltham, MA 02453 Unsubscribe Manage preferences |
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