It’s Okay to Say “I Don’t Know” Prescott Area HR Association June 2, 2009 Management Education Group, Inc . www.managementeducationgroup.com Tough HR Questions that Have No Answer

Job Losses – February 2007 to March 2009 When Did Your County's Jobs Disappear? Arizona 7.7%(p) in Apr 2009 Unemployment Rates 5,024,780 jobs lost nationwide since March 2008

What are the Tough Questions You Can’t Answer? We’ve already cut 20% of the workforce. Are we done? I heard the company was considering a furlough. Will we all be required to participate? I know we are in a hiring freeze. How is the company going to get all this work done? How will my job be impacted?

We’ve already cut 20% of the workforce. Are we done?

I heard the company was considering a furlough. Will we all be required to participate?

I know we are in a hiring freeze. How is the company going to get all this work done? How will my job be impacted?

Session Objectives At the end of this session you will be able to: Acknowledge natural human reactions in the face of uncertainty Anticipate the questions you are likely to face Consider six tips for confidently answering the tough questions

At the end of this session you will be able to:

Acknowledge natural human reactions in the face of uncertainty

Anticipate the questions you are likely to face

Consider six tips for confidently answering the tough questions

Facing the Emotions What are the typical reactions you are seeing from employees? What are the typical reactions you are seeing from organizational leaders?

What are the typical reactions you are seeing from employees?

What are the typical reactions you are seeing from organizational leaders?

Reactions will Vary – Even in France 3M factory holds plant manager hostage Sony plant manager locked in his office Angry tire factory employees threw eggs

3M factory holds plant manager hostage

Sony plant manager locked in his office

Angry tire factory employees threw eggs

Common Reactions Resistance, defensiveness, threatening Pleading his/her case or bargaining Wanting to speak to a “decision maker” Asking “why me?” Getting personally upset with management Arguing about someone who is retained Listing personal or organizational repercussions that will cascade from the loss Breaking down emotionally Going into shock and denying the reality

Resistance, defensiveness, threatening

Pleading his/her case or bargaining

Wanting to speak to a “decision maker”

Asking “why me?”

Getting personally upset with management

Arguing about someone who is retained

Listing personal or organizational repercussions that will cascade from the loss

Breaking down emotionally

Going into shock and denying the reality

Common Questions Who made the decision? Who can I talk with to get this decision reversed? Are there any other jobs for me? Can I keep my job if I take a pay cut or reduce my time? Who else is being impacted?

Who made the decision?

Who can I talk with to get this decision reversed?

Are there any other jobs for me?

Can I keep my job if I take a pay cut or reduce my time?

Who else is being impacted?

Keys for Answering the Tough Questions Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) Your company’s policies and process How workload will be redistributed Timeline for change Options for recall Resources to be offered to employees (EAP, benefits, outplacement, etc.) Key #1: Know Your Stuff

Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN)

Your company’s policies and process

How workload will be redistributed

Timeline for change

Options for recall

Resources to be offered to employees

(EAP, benefits, outplacement, etc.)

Keys for Answering the Tough Questions Key #2: Communicate Early and Often Respond to community and industry impacts as they happen Tell employees about change before the outside world knows Deliver news face to face when at all possible Weekly CEO webcasts Daily or weekly intranet updates under a heading designated for the change CEO town halls Training for supervisors on how to deliver tough messages

Respond to community and industry impacts as they happen

Tell employees about change before the outside world knows

Deliver news face to face when at all possible

Weekly CEO webcasts

Daily or weekly intranet updates under a heading designated for the change

CEO town halls

Training for supervisors on how to deliver tough messages

Keys for Answering the Tough Questions Key #3: Deliver Individual Messages with Dignity Loss messages must be delivered in person, not electronically Delivered by someone the employee knows Delivered in private Delivered early in the day and not on a day prior to a day off or weekend Consider the day in relationship to significant dates for the employee (birthday, religious holiday, family event, etc.) Be prepared for the emotional response

Loss messages must be delivered in person, not electronically

Delivered by someone the employee knows

Delivered in private

Delivered early in the day and not on a day prior to a day off or weekend

Consider the day in relationship to significant dates for the employee (birthday, religious holiday, family event, etc.)

Be prepared for the emotional response

Keys for Answering the Tough Questions Key #4: Instruct front-line employees how to respond to questions from the public or customers Prepare a list of customer questions you expect Provide scripts or common responses for employees to use

Prepare a list of customer questions you expect

Provide scripts or common responses for employees to use

Keys for Answering the Tough Questions Key #5: Keep Your Ear to the Ground Watch and listen for rumors Anticipate rumors and address them before they spread Address rumors promptly via established communication tools Webcasts Newsletters Twitter Town Halls

Watch and listen for rumors

Anticipate rumors and address them before they spread

Address rumors promptly via established communication tools

Webcasts

Newsletters

Twitter

Town Halls

Keys for Answering the Tough Questions Key #6: Get Back to Work Refocus the conversation on things employees can do something about Maintaining customer relations Improving morale Maintaining or increasing productivity Restate the organization’s mission over and over Refocus your expectations for performance Ask employees for input before making decisions that impact their roles Respond to employee questions or requests promptly Recognize employees who go the extra mile

Refocus the conversation on things employees can do something about

Maintaining customer relations

Improving morale

Maintaining or increasing productivity

Restate the organization’s mission over and over

Refocus your expectations for performance

Ask employees for input before making decisions that impact their roles

Respond to employee questions or requests promptly

Recognize employees who go the extra mile

Self Check What can you do to ease the fears and address the uncertainty in your organization?

What can you do to ease the fears and address the uncertainty in your organization?

Thank you for your time! Marnie E. Green Management Education Group, Inc. www.managementeducationgroup.com 480-705-9394