The Manager's Pocket Guide® to Downsizing with Confidence

real important. What matters is that you’re

trying to keep in touch with those who left

because you consider them to be good

employees. This promotional piece can also

be distributed to existing employees. They’ll

enjoy seeing and reading what their friends

who left in the downsizing are receiving.

You might even want to consider sending this

promotional piece out to your key customers.

Remember, if you share information, you are

perceived as being open and honest. If you do

not share information, it is assumed that you’re

holding something back.

Here are several suggestions to make your

organization more appealing as a place to return

to. We’ve mentioned some of these in other parts

of this book as well.

1. Explain your rationale for the cut.

When you downsize, be ready to share

information. You need to explain to the

people who exit and the people who remain

why you’re making employee cuts, why that’s

the most feasible way to reduce costs, and

what you hope to gain from it. If you can’t

explain why the cuts will make your organiza-

tion more viable, then perhaps the downsizing

is not your solution or you’ve focused on the

wrong problem.

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