As a manager, there’s nothing worse than having to lay off some of your staff. But what’s almost as challenging is dealing with the aftermath of being downsized. Remaining employees are stressed, wondering who’s next, and many are quite honestly probably starting to look for new jobs. How do you keep morale, productivity and retention up after layoffs? Here are a few tips:

Communicate, communicate, communicate.

As one of the leading recruiting agencies in Houston, TX, Murray Resources knows if you keep them in the dark, the rumor mill will undermine any effort you’re making to keep your team together. It’s therefore critically important to tell employees what you know, admit what you don’t, and answer their questions and concerns.

Too many times, organizations try to tightly manage the flow of information that gets out – but the end result is employees who wind up stressed and frustrated. Employees would actually rather hear bad news than no news at all in these kinds of situations. They appreciate a manager who will answer the hard questions and provide as much information as possible.

Make yourself more accessible than ever.

For some employees, the fear of a layoff is a motivator; for others, though, it leads to disengagement. Don’t ignore this very common reaction. While it’s true that employees left standing might be grateful to have jobs, they’re also, in all likelihood, drained of energy after months of uncertainty. That’s why it’s so important for you to be visible and make yourself as accessible as possible to them. Talk with your people, show some compassion and acknowledge that the situation is a difficult one.

Start setting goals.

As you move forward, you have fewer resources to achieve your goals. While that’s certainly not ideal, it’s helpful to get your team re-focused on what those goals are and assigning new responsibilities to your remaining employees. That said, don’t just randomly assign work to people; otherwise, you’ll end up with an extrovert doing an introvert’s job and misery will ensue. However, do evaluate the strengths of each individual on your team, assign measurable goals and make your expectations clear.

Be an example.

If you’re acting stressed and freaked out because you’re in crisis mode, then your employees will mirror your behavior. Instead, provide a model for how you want your employees to act by offering genuine concern, outlining clear-cut goals and providing guidance, and communicating to your staff how valued they are.

Managing after layoffs is never easy. But with the right attitude – and the right approach – you can keep the rest of your team together and help them bounce back.

If you need help hiring for your team, call Murray Resources. As one of the leading recruiting agencies in Houston, TX, companies all over the city rely on our expertise to source and retain top talent for hard-to-fill, key positions across a broad range of business disciplines. Contact us today if you’d like to learn more.