Dear Workforce Which is Better During Layoffs Individual or Group Announcements

Q

Dear Workforce:

When performing a reduction in force of manufacturing employees, is it better to conduct terminations one-by-one or by a group? We are concerned about violent reactions since no severance is being given and want to know if the group setting would inhibit or promote unwanted reactions.

— Safety & Training Facilitator, manufacturing company, Valencia,California.

A Dear Concerned About Safety:

For me there’s no contest: one-by-one exit interviews acknowledge the psychological complexity of the termination process and respect the integrity of the soon-to-be former employee. Group termination avoids the issues and will inflame the fires.

Advantages of one-on-one
Being forced to leave an organization is a trying experience for most folks, especially if there’s substantial work history. A tight job market adds to the stress. Giving the employees no severance package may become salt on the wound. The human resources department needs to take the time in a one-on-one basis to note hard company economic realities and tough choices. And HR needs to recognize that hard company choices won’t negate the fact that people feel dissatisfied, angry, upset, frightened, etc., about this reduction in force.

Also, it’s important to give the employees time and space to share how they feel about the RIF; that’s the reason for the face-to-face meeting. As long as an employee does not become abusive or violent, some expression of anger is reasonable and healthy. (If an employee does become threatening, at least it’s in the open and an appropriate safety response becomes a quick option.)

If the number of people being let go is very large — beyond HR’s capacity for one-on-one administration — then consider some pre-exit workshops led by trainers skilled in dealing with grief and termination. Consider employee assistance professionals or consultants with both a clinical and organizational training background.

Sometimes management cuts off this intimate termination process. Management may cut off this one-on-one venting because of their feelings of guilt, which also is an understandable reaction. Bringing out this array of emotions, while difficult, will likely reduce the chances of an outbreak of violence.

Dangers of a group meeting
A group meeting for the announcement of the RIF exacerbates the violence potential. Anger and feelings of abandonment or betrayal not vented or handled constructively lend themselves to reduction of individual responsibility for subsequent actions and could lead even to mob reaction.

Also, many people will not speak up in a group. For some of these individuals, anger will smolder inside. If such an individual finds this RIF threatening and has preexisting emotional instability (especially a history of uncontrolledrage or premeditated belligerent or cruel behavior), then this person may be ripe for a violent reaction, even if a subsequent stress trigger seems trivial.

Finally, don’t promote the sole purpose of one-on-one termination meetings to be the prevention of violence. Hold this meeting for various reasons, namely because it:

• Demonstrates respect for the integrity of the employees.
• Indicates appreciation for their past contributions.
• Shows management is genuinely willing to tackle tough personnel issues.
• Encourages surviving employees during a vulnerable period that management doesn’t get rid of people on a whim.
• Is the right thing to do.

SOURCE: Mark Gorkin, LICSW, “The Stress Doc” and American Online’s”Online Psychohumorist,” Washington, D.C., April 16, 2001.

LEARN MORE: See “Anticipate Sabotage– Have aCrisis Plan in Place”

The information contained in this article is intended to provide useful information on the topic covered, but should not be construed as legal advice or legal opinion. Also, remember that state laws may differ from federal law.