How to Deal with Layoffs as a Construction Manager

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As a construction manager, one of the most challenging parts of your job involves laying off your employees. This can create uncertainty and fear among your workforce.

As a result, you must conduct layoffs with professionalism, empathy, and compassion. This helps your remaining employees feel encouraged by your caring methods for handling the bad news.

Follow these guidelines to minimize the impact of laying off your employees as a construction manager.


Clarify the Reasons for the Layoffs

Let your employees know whether there are business problems that will require layoffs. This increases trust among your workforce.

Let your employees know you are exploring other options to save money and increase efficiency. Explain what these options are and their potential impact on your workforce. Sharing this information shows you respect your employees.

For instance, you might consider asking your employees to take off a certain number of unpaid days per month. Or, you could ask them to agree to a temporary wage reduction to avoid layoffs.

Develop Layoff Plans

Work with Human Resources and an employment law attorney to develop plans to lay off your employees. You want your actions to be ethical, compassionate, and legal.

Consider the needs of both your employees being laid off and those remaining. This includes paying attention to the following areas:

  • The diversity of the employees being laid off
  • Your company’s needs for carrying out job duties after the layoff
  • The layoff schedules
  • Informing stakeholders of the layoffs
  • Severance pay and benefits for laid-off employees
  • Employee morale for your remaining workforce
  • Government reporting, job references, and related issues for laid-off employees

Carry Out Your Layoff Plan

Begin laying off your employees when necessary. This helps ease the transition.

Your employees likely are concerned about being laid off. Therefore, breaking the news helps the impacted employees begin processing the details and finding new jobs.

Meet with a Human Resources representative and each employee individually when conducting your layoffs. Provide the relevant information, including resources to help each employee with their job search.

Treat every employee with dignity as you conduct the layoffs. Your employees will remember your behavior as they move to new opportunities.

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