Protect Your Brand During Layoffs
Layoffs are an ugly option. But during volatile periods, it may be a necessary evil for some companies. However, if firms find themselves in the unfortunate position of having to do them, they should do them well.
Let me explain. A friend of mine was laid off last week from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), along with 500 administrative and management positions. This woman had just returned from delivering a presentation about imaging to an audience at another center within the UPMC network to find three people waiting for her outside her office. They gave her a box and told her in front of her colleagues to hand over her badge. They then barged into her office where they emptied every item from her desk and shelves, asking what belonged to UPMC and what belonged to her ("Are these UPMC's pushpins," they asked. "You can have them," she responded.).
On the way out, she asked if she could say goodbye to her friends and they said, "No, you're not to speak to anybody. Keep your mouth shut," while two security guards locked their arms under each of hers and nearly dragged her out of the building.
UPMC was deplorable in how it laid off this woman, as well as the rest of its employees (eight of my friend's former colleagues told her afterward that they were let go in the same manner). She was a valued employee who worked for many years with the goal of helping UPMC succeed, and this was how it returned the favor.
Taking the right actions couldn't be more crucial during this sensitive process. Layoffs can hurt a company's external brand image, but treating employees like criminals can be even more damaging to the brand. Online forums, social media, and blogs like this one will go far in spreading stories of employees' negative treatment.
So if your company finds itself in the unfortunate position of cutting your workforce, take some steps to protect your brand: Develop a process for escorting out employees that maintains their dignity and lets them say their goodbyes. Also provide tools to maintain morale after the layoffs like telephone hotlines, information HR websites, additional training, or even counseling services.
Remember, peoples' lives are involved during layoffs and so is your brand.
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