Here's how you can effectively support and guide your team members during a layoff as an executive manager.

La comunicación clara y empática durante los despidos no solo ayuda a los afectados a procesar la noticia con mayor dignidad, sino que también protege la moral y la productividad del equipo que permanece. Un punto clave es evitar mensajes ambiguos o evasivos, ya que pueden generar rumores y desconfianza. Además, ofrecer soporte tangible, como cartas de recomendación o acceso a servicios de *outplacement*, demuestra que la empresa valora a su gente incluso en momentos difíciles. La transparencia, junto con un tono humano, marca la diferencia entre una salida respetuosa y una experiencia traumática.

Clear communication is key to successful management, and not only with your work team. It is one of the most critical soft skills that you must have and continuously improve.

Creo que un punto clave, es que un despido no debería ser sorpresa para la persona afectada. Por esta razón, la retroalimentación que se haya hecho en el pasado es clave. Y si el despido es por alguna razón económica o financiera de la empresa, tambié es clave que durante las reuniones de equipo, el lider siempre conozca los numeros y hablen de los macroindicadores de la empresa

During a layoff, authenticity matters more than ever. Treat your people like people: with honesty, empathy, and humanity. Offer help without waiting to be asked; write the recommendation, make the intro, be the reference. That’s leadership.

Nesses momentos, existem alguns passos determinantes... Comunicar a equipe: evitar fofocas e manter a transparência com a equipe, reforçando a continuidade e os objetivos da empresa. Oferecer suporte emocional: disponibilize apoio psicológico ou assistência externa, se possível. Mantenha a porta aberta: ofereça ajuda com referências ou contatos profissionais se for apropriado.

Supporting your team during a layoff requires a balance of transparency, empathy, and leadership. Communicate openly—acknowledge the situation honestly while providing as much clarity as possible. Be available to listen and address concerns, even if you don’t have all the answers. Treat affected employees with respect, offering guidance on next steps, references, or connections to new opportunities. For those staying, acknowledge the emotional impact and reassure them about the company’s direction. Maintain morale by focusing on a shared vision, redistributing workloads fairly, and reinforcing a sense of stability. Leading with empathy and decisiveness helps the team navigate uncertainty with trust and resilience.

Approaching layoffs with empathy 🤝 and professionalism can make a significant difference in how your team copes with the transition. Beyond clear communication, actively listening to concerns and addressing questions with honesty fosters a supportive environment 🎯. Offering career support, such as resume reviews or networking assistance, demonstrates genuine care for outgoing employees while reinforcing morale among those who remain. Finally, acknowledging the emotional impact and maintaining a culture of respect 💡 helps preserve trust and stability within the organization.

Em momentos de demissão, a comunicação eficaz é uma ferramenta essencial para preservar a moral da equipe e evitar especulações que possam comprometer o ambiente organizacional. O gestor precisa alinhar sua abordagem para ser transparente, transmitindo as razões estratégicas por trás da decisão sem desumanizar o processo. Além disso, é importante se preparar para responder a perguntas de forma objetiva e demonstrar empatia ao abordar o impacto da mudança. A clareza na mensagem reduz incertezas e ajuda os profissionais a lidarem com a transição de maneira mais estruturada.

Layoffs are tough, but transparency builds trust. Employees deserve honest, timely updates not speculation. Explain the why behind the decision, acknowledge the impact with empathy, and provide clear next steps. Silence creates uncertainty clarity fosters trust.

Show Up With Real Leadership When the storm hits, your team doesn’t need a polished statement—they need your presence. Be visible. Be human. Be steady. Layoffs test your clarity, your empathy, and your backbone all at once. Don’t hide behind a memo. Look people in the eye, answer hard questions, and lead through the discomfort. Because in times like these, how you show up says everything about your culture.

Announcements were made this morning, confirming what was discussed back in December. It's been a tense waiting game. What's most painful, though, is the lack of direct communication from the managers. Instead, the HR Business Partner is the one delivering the news—someone who is primarily looking out for the company's interests. This impersonal approach only deepens the hurt. The real impact of this situation isn't just the job loss; it's the cold, detached way it's been handled. Your HR representative didn’t work alongside you for years, your manager did. It's time for leadership to take accountability. These difficult situations deserve more than a passive, behind-the-scenes approach. Stand up, be present, and show that you care

O impacto psicológico das demissões não deve ser subestimado, tanto para os desligados quanto para os que permanecem. Como líder, é seu papel reconhecer esse impacto e oferecer suporte adequado. Criar um ambiente onde os funcionários se sintam ouvidos e valorizados pode minimizar o sentimento de insegurança e manter o engajamento da equipe. Além de conversas individuais, é recomendável direcionar os colaboradores para programas de suporte emocional ou redes de contato profissional que os auxiliem na recolocação. Um líder que demonstra cuidado genuíno fortalece a cultura organizacional e mantém a confiança a longo prazo.

En mi opinión, lo ideal sería que este apoyo lo prestara un profesional externo. Existen muchas agencias y profesionales que se dedican a ello.

It’s important to be honest in conversations about the future. Employees may ask if they should stay and whether the culture will improve with time. It’s important to remind employees not to make rash decisions based on emotion, but rather to ensure that they are gathering the data needed to make those decisions properly. A post-layoff culture that might feel toxic in the short term may yield great growth opportunities in the medium term. Have these honest conversations with your staff - make sure they aren’t “running away” from a job that may be very interesting for them in the longer term.

You need to take care of the people who stay. Lots of people talk about communicating to the folks being let go, how to handle, best practices and providing support. It's even more important to address the concerns and emotional state of the ones who stay. 1. Do they understand the financial scenario? Are you good to run the next payroll? I bet they want to hear it. 2. Do they know what additional workload they'll have to absorb to cover the ones who left? 3. Do you have means to recognize and engage them so a hit in morale doesn't kill productivity? 4. What is being deprioritize to accommodate the new team comp? 5. Trust and loyalty get forged in tough times, how can you create a deeper bond? 6. Can you offer any perks?

Understand the impact that the layoff will have on the tasks, projects and responsibilities of the team. Sometimes what happens is that the burden the tasks executed by the layoff employees goes to the employees that remains and they get burned out. Having a clear understanding of the impact of the layoff in the operation, processes is extremely important to plan ahead the layoff and prevent negative impact in the organization and its employees.