If you’ve experienced a layoff at your place of business, or you’re faced with the prospect of a layoff in the future, consider advice from Joanne G. Sujansky, a noted lecturer who helps business owners develop loyalty and productivity within their firms. 

Handling layoffs begins with the “ABCs of change.”

Acknowledge:  Concede that your employees are upset.  Allow each of them to have an opportunity to sound off about how they feel about the downsizing.  Sujansky doesn’t specify whether this should be done in a group setting or one-on-one, but she does suggest that bringing in outside counseling may “help the process along.” 

Begin anew:  Now might be the perfect time to re-examine your company’s goals and decide whether to move forward or change direction a little.  Take a close look at your company mission statement, and see if it still applies.  If it doesn’t, change it.  With the help of your remaining employees, set some new short and long-term goals.

Construct and communicate: Organize a team to help you plan the changes that will be needed as you proceed.  The team should be responsible to “anticipate” the problems that the company might encounter as you move forward.  The next step is to communicate the plan to others so that everyone understands their new responsibilities. 

Source:  Joanne Sujansky. “Preventing Survivor Sickness After a Layoff.”  MRO Today. http://www.mrotoday.com/mro/archives/exclusives/AfterTheLayoff.htm