Embrace Uncertainty

TLDR

Teachable Moment: Actively address employee concerns about job security and company stability by leveraging information from senior leadership.

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The Problem

Employees around the world are anxiously awaiting bad news at work.

In just a few months, 150K+ employees have been laid off from stable (supposedly) tech roles, brewing uncertainty in the minds of all your coworkers and employees.

As managers, you might have even been affected directly by facing a layoff or delivering the news to an employee.

But whether or not you’re in tech or work for a company where roles are safe, the past few months have affected the psyche of everyone in a corporate role.

And you’re going to get questions.

Lots of them.

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The Solution

Whether you’re facing layoffs in your industry or not, it’s best to prepare for discussions around uncertainty.

Times like these spur questions about job security, pay increases, promotions, etc.

Speak with your senior leadership and develop a talk track about these potential questions.

You don’t necessarily have to address all the details to the team in a large forum, but it’s recommended to ask your employees in 1:1’s how they’re feeling in the current environment.

Be as transparent as you can, and deliver any news in a timely manner.

And whatever you do, don’t make any promises.

Reference data points and whatever information is coming from senior leadership.

You never want to make promises that aren’t in your control.