Maintaining Team Morale During Downsizing

Our company is letting some people go because we are consolidating operations at our headquarters in another state. We will be left with a small team of people. Everyone is depressed and morale stinks. What can we do?

The Team Doc Says…

First, realize that there is very little you can do to control how people feel about this situation. And the survivors will probably feel the worst. They are losing good colleagues and friends. Plus they realize that the work those team members were doing has to be done by someone and it will probably be them.

Communication with team members is imperative. That said, there may be legal issues that must remain quiet, but now is the time for as much communication as possible. Even if the answer is “I don’t know” or “For legal reasons I can’t tell you that.” Have regular get togethers with your team to talk about what is going on.

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About Denise O'Berry

Hello! My name is Denise O’Berry — aka Team Doc. I’ve spent years working with teams and their leadership to help them improve and work through team issues. You see some of that advice in the answers on this website. I’d like to help you too. Connect with me on Google+, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube

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