The Restructuring Communication Toolkit
Practical language and methods to support remaining team members after restructuring.
Module 2: The Manager 1-on-1 Guide
The Strategy: A discussion guide utilized in the weeks following the event to rebuild psychological safety and adjust expectations.
The Objectives:
Listen Without Agenda: Dedicate the first post-layoff 1-on-1 entirely to the employee's well-being. Explicitly state that there is no project agenda. Hold space for them to express their thoughts without correcting them or making them feel "uncommitted".
Do not expect survivors to silently absorb additional work. Use this time to collaborate on a new baseline:
1. Audit: Review all projects the departed employee was handling.
2. Eliminate: Identify which tasks can be permanently paused or automated.
3. Protect: Reassign only the business-critical tasks, and explicitly adjust deadlines to account for the smaller team size.