Not You Too, Google!
Before we get into it, Justin Moore's story is something else...
Not you too, Google. This is a prime example of how not to handle it. Between Justin's experience and worrying accounts of being let go WHILE on a work trip, we've collated some tips for team leads and colleagues to make the process of layoffs far less painful.
Last week, it was announced that Google would be laying off over 6% of their existing staff, following suit with the big tech players, Meta, Twitter and more. This is something we’ve been talking about and preparing for the last couple of months.
We believe that good things happen to those who hustle, hence our name — and so the news about an economic downturn doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom.
For leaders and managers, your role becomes more critical than ever. Letting go of your team and delivering difficult news can be done in an inclusive and compassionate way. Remember, the juniors and mid-level colleagues you manage now will become key players in their industry. Kindness goes a long way.
Here are 4 things to consider when delivering challenging news:
Focus on how it's not personal — no matter how the layoff or difficult feedback came about. Focus on the individual’s contributions, constructive feedback and the wider business needs. Being let go is part of life, and sometimes necessary for the business to survive, but it doesn’t mean the individual in question doesn’t add value in general. If you don’t believe that an individual ‘needs’ or ‘deserves’ to be let down gently, it might be time to check your biases — our Understanding Bias cheat sheet will show you how
Be transparent with the package and timeline — Clarity is absolutely KEY in this context. With the uncertainty surrounding their career and the wider economy, providing as much detail and visibility over payouts and timelines will help ease the individual’s departure from the team, and minimise the risk of litigation further down the line.
Give a macro view of affected teams and individuals — Focusing on the big picture, the wider reasons the business has been forced to make the decision at hand takes the pressure and negative self-talk off the individual.
Show gratitude and recognition — Remember all the value this person has delivered to your team. Being recognised, even during a departure is an undervalued part of the offboarding process. Use this time to connect your colleague with other team members or people within your network with who they might be able to work with in future. Networking is really all about relationships, and even though a job role may have come to an end, your connection with that person doesn’t have to.
Speaking of relationships, networking is the 3rd of our 4 pillars that are essential for turning #LayoffstoLemonade. On February 1st we’ll be sharing How to Network Authentically and Land Your Next Big Opportunity.
What you’ll learn:
✅ How to confidently build your network without cringing
✅ How to keep your connections engaged for the long-haul
✅ How to craft your perfect ‘ask’ & offer help to generate more opportunities
Wednesday 1st February 2023
6pm GMT // 1pm ET // 10am PT