Employee Recognition in the Face of a RIF

[Sondra Jenkins]

We're a smallish non-profit organization of about 350 employees. Unfortunately, we are about to implement a reduction in force that will be very traumatic for the organization. In addition, for some key reasons that I won't rehearse here, the timetable for implementing this reduction has been advanced by about 6 weeks. Question -- I want and need to hold what is normally a very celebratory "Pause for Applause" event to recognize service milestones and generally allow employees to applaud colleagues for helpful acts or positivive attributes. Any ideas or experiences for how to announce and promote this when RIFs are imminent? How does one not sound insensitive?

[Terrence Seamon]

Sondra,
I've started this reply several times in the past couple days, but deleted each try. I'm very conflicted by the situation you face. As I'm sure you are too.

As much as I am a strong proponent of employee recognition, I'm going to say, Don't do it.

If you hold the event before the RIF, and recognize people that are soon going to be terminated, you'll be sending a very mixed signal, and perhaps creating legal exposure for the company. I'm not a lawyer, but I can hear the phrase "wrongful termination" coming up.

If you do it after the RIF, the "survivor" employees who were not terminated will be in no mood to "pause for applause," especially if they are upset and angry about seeing some of their friends being terminated. And they may think that some of the terminated people should have been recognized.

I can go on imagining other scenarios, but that's probably enough.

So my suggestion would be, Do something else.

Maybe this is the year, given the decision to downsize and the expected trauma for the people, to ask yourselves, Are there some other things we ought to do, after the RIF, that would help to

- keep the organization alive and continue to live the mission

- save additional costs (and prevent further downsizing), and

- boost morale throughout the organization?

How could you engage employees in answering the above?

Terry

PS - Make sure that the RIF is handled as professionally as possible, so that the people who are losing their jobs are given the support they need to land softly and get moving toward future employment. Not only will that help them. But it will send a positive signal to the remaining employees that the organization did what it had to do, and did it with care.

PPS - Service milestones can and should still be recognized, but perhaps on an individual level.

[Ted Lederer]

Hi Sondra.

Where are you located? Is there a budget for the aforementioned "Pause for Applause" program? Please have a look at http://www.jumprewards.com to see if their programs are something that could help. You can contact me through this network for additional information. Thanks Sondra.

Ted

[Peter Hart]

Sondra... Tough question!!! I don't think I could answer it better than Terrance. He has given you some great advice. peter

[Derek Irvine]

Terry offers wise advice, Sondra. I recently posted on this topic on the my blog here on EEN: http://employeeengagement.ning.com/profiles/blogs/hr-needs-to-rescu.... This entry includes recent research on the physical and psychological effects of layoffs on employees that you may be interested in.

While there are usually many benefits to public recognition events, in this situation Terry is likely right that an individual approach is more warranted. Even during those recognition moments, you may want to emphasize to the person receiving recognition (in addition to how much their efforts are valued, etc.) that it is important to your company, now more than ever, to reinforce your culture of appreciation and ensure that is not lost.