Effective Layoff Announcement Response

Submitted by mauzenne on Thu, 06/04/2009 - 00:48.
in

This cast explains how to respond to the announcement of impending layoffs at your firm.

This is a long overdue cast, based on comments we get by email and on the forums.  Far too many of us respond POORLY to an announcement or rumor of impending layoffs where we work.  In fact, it's worse than that . . . MOST of us respond TERRIBLY, and HURT OUR CAREERS in doing so.  But there's a better way, and there's a playbook to follow, and guess what?  Career Tools has it, and that's what this cast shares.


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caroayerbe's picture
Submitted by caroayerbe on Thu, 08/27/2009 - 20:45.

Musical Chairs

Yes, Mark, musical chairs is a very well known game internationally. At least it is here, in Colombia (Sillas Musicales).

Thanks for a great podcast!

Phil_J's picture
Submitted by Phil_J on Mon, 09/28/2009 - 17:48.

Echoing your advice

This past spring my business unit experienced a turnaround where they planned to abandon the technology for which my group was responsible.  They offered most of us retention contracts where they would compensate us if we helped decommission the old technology.  It was open ended at what time we would be let go but it did have a final termination date in the far future.

At first, I was offered a permanent position in the new organization and then a few months later, that offer was rescinded and I was given the same package as everyone else.  However, I was in charge of the decommissioning plan.

The one major factor for me to keep my cool was that I started to financially prepare for this unexpected turn of events when people were just starting to wonder about lay offs.  My wife and I worked it out so that I could be out of work as long as two years.  This allowed me to focus on my job as the project manager for the decommissioning.  Since no one else in the business unit was working (they were all distracted), I was able to get quite a bit done on the plan all by myself and finished it a month earlier than was expected and came in under budget. 

My immediate supervisor was very impressed and ultimately got me placed elsewhere in the firm even in the midst of rampant layoffs around the enterprise.  I landed the job just one day prior to the day where I was slated to be laid off. The fact that I kept working like that in the middle of the storm was instrumental in my landing the position and dodging a bullet.

I think the key to being able to keep your cool during such times is to focus on what you have control over.  In my case, it was preparing financially to absorb the shock of a potential lay off.  I highly recommend it because it makes dealing with such a horrible situation so much easier.