Market Areas > Human Resources > Talk Layoffs

Smart Employee Communications: How to Talk about Layoffs and Other Difficult Conversations

Course Description:

Most managers agree that making job cuts is the single most difficult part of their jobs.  Nobody teaches you how to let somebody go or how to communicate the big-picture view to surviving employees.

There are ways, however, to manage and communicate this painful process as well as other difficult conversations more effectively.  In fact, some approaches are far less damaging to morale and the company’s reputation.  Keeping your surviving employees informed bolsters productivity, minimizes fear-based thinking, and staves off misunderstandings.   

Delays, however, and mishandled messages can sink morale, and nothing saps productivity like round after round of guessing games at the water cooler.

In this interactive CCM teleconference, you’ll get direction and tips on how to effectively communicate to your employees before, during and after the job cuts begin. You'll aslo learn how and what to say when there's actually no good news to share.

Our expert faculty will provide you with:

• Checklist and timeline of what to include and “don’t leave outs” for your communications measures for job reductions
• Examples of messages and basic scripts for lay-offs and common scenarios
• Best practices to achieve a level of trust with employees to convey inspired leadership

By the end of this thorough and practical session you will know how to:    

• Set up a company wide communications program in difficult times
• Establish a communication strategy for turnarounds and leave employees more collaborative
• Utilize a checklist of details and must dos that one must not forget
• Involve communication with employees and establish constructive two–way exchanges
• Handle the situation when bad news does get out
• Manage the external communications as part of overall employee communications strategy
• Shift gears in communications from tough action to articulating a new vision

Featured Faculty

Beth Haiken, Senior Vice President, Ogilvy Public Relations (San Francisco)

Beth Haiken joined Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide in early 2008. She brings a strong background in financial services public relations, strategic and crisis communications, internal communications, and corporate identity / brand management.

Prior to joining Ogilvy Beth headed global public relations for The PMI Group, Inc., a mortgage insurance and credit enhancement company in the Bay Area. Her achievements included managing a CEO transition, establishing a global PR program and creating and launching a global brand and website, positioning the company as a thought leader in risk management, and developing and implementing a strategic internal and external communications program to deal with the mortgage meltdown.

Prior to that, she worked for Providian Financial in San Francisco, helping the credit card company manage through a reputational crisis, financial crisis, and successful turnaround effort. Her work at Providian earned the company the Rochester Institute of Technology/USA Today Quality Cup for Customer Service and Beth a Gold Sabre for Employee Communications.

As a freelance writer and editor, Beth worked for a diverse range of clients including Babycenter.com, WetFeet.com, ehow.com, Visa USA, Jandel Scientific, Chronicle Books, and Ten Speed Press. She is an accomplished ghost- and speechwriter.

Prior to re-entering the communications business, Beth was a professor of history at the University of British Columbia and University of Tennessee. She earned a PhD in U.S. History from the University of California at Berkeley, and is the author of the book Venus Envy: A History of Cosmetic Surgery. She has served as an expert commentator in several documentaries, including for The History Channel and the BBC.

MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE:

We're so confident you'll get what you want out of this conference that we'll refund every penny if you're not completely satisfied. No questions asked! It's 100% risk-free!

Pricing:

Your CD recording includes the complete audio conference presentation, audience Q&A and presentation materials.

APPROVED FOR RECERTIFICATION CREDIT:

HRCI - Receive 1.25 recertification credit hours toward PHR and SPHR recertification through the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI). For more information about certification or recertification, please visit the HRCI homepage at www.hrci.org. "The use of this seal is not an endorsement by the HR Certification Institute of the quality of the program. It means that this program has met the HR Certification Institute’s criteria to be pre-approved for recertification credit."

Each CCM event presents a variety of information and is presented for each organization to develop its own approach and methodology.