When it comes to delivering difficult news, there’s no easy way to tell someone they no longer have a job. It’s a conversation that requires humility, dignity, and compassion. 

As a manager, you’ll face the aftermath of a layoff, considering the mental health, engagement, productivity, and wellbeing of the remaining team. And with remote or hybrid teams becoming more common, you may even have to handle position redundancies remotely. 

This guide to scheduling your conversations will help prioritise the wellbeing of impacted employees throughout the process. 

Choose the right time and day

  • Ideally, separation conversations should be scheduled for early in the week. This allows impacted employees to receive necessary career assistance and have their questions addressed. 
  • Consider scheduling the meeting at the end of the day, so the employee can head home without facing immediate questions from colleagues. 
  • HR should also advise whether individuals are expected to remain on-site or go home, and you should be clear in communicating these expectations and any related arrangements.
  • Check-in to ensure your impacted employee has a support person available when they get home and offer them a cab charge.

Meeting arrangements

  • Any information that affects a person’s employment should ideally be communicated face-to-face. If this isn’t possible, then choose virtually over a video call.
  • Friday or pre-holiday conversations should be avoided as this timing prevents individuals from gaining access to support and resources, which may increase their anxiety and uncertainty.  
  • Online calendars should be blocked out to avoid potential distractions and meeting requests should be marked as “private”. 
  • It’s recommended that you indicate that the meeting involves an important discussion. Consider using subject lines such as ‘Upcoming Business Changes’ or ‘Important Business Update’ to convey the nature of the meeting and engage participants effectively. Avoid subject lines such as “Difficult Conversation” or leaving the subject line blank.
  • Adequate time should be allowed for the discussion with enough time allocated for questions. The meeting should be kept concise. The affected individual should feel they are fairly and respectfully treated and their concerns heard.
  • Allow time between meetings when conducting several one-to-one discussions. This will help you to refresh and reset and better enable you to treat each discussion separately and allow for any meetings which may run overtime.

Choose the right meeting room

  • When scheduling an in-person separation conversation, select a meeting room that is quiet, private, comfortable and without a  window to avoid people looking in when they walk past. 
  • If possible, consider a room on another floor to provide additional privacy. 
  • Accessibility should be considered for individuals with physical mobility issues, and any special instructions should be provided. 
  • Reservations for meeting rooms should include a contingency plan to avoid disturbances or interruptions.

Considerations for remote team members

  • Given the prevalence of remote teams, it’s essential to think carefully about the setup when having virtual conversations.
  • Ensure that the conversation doesn’t take place in sensitive environments, such as in the car during school pick up or in public places. 
  • Privacy should be prioritised, and both parties should have their cameras on during video calls.
  • It’s even more important to check-in and build rapport prior to delivering the news. Then making sure there is enough support at home and they know where to access the resources available to them.

Support from HR and career transition consultant

When possible, provide sufficient notice for a JobAccelerator career transition consultant to virtually meet with the person immediately afterwards.

Scheduling the separation conversation requires careful consideration to create a conducive and respectful environment for the discussion. By choosing the right time, sending appropriate meeting invitations, selecting suitable meeting rooms, and considering the needs of remote team members, you can conduct these conversations with sensitivity and care. 

Always remember to prioritise the wellbeing of impacted employees throughout the process.