When Bad News Hits: 8 Ways To Lessen Employees’ Panic

When bad news hits a workplace, employees tend to panic – or at least grow deeply concerned.

It can be the worried anticipation after an email calling for a “mandatory company-wide meeting today at 4.” Or the hushed conversations surrounding layoff rumors. Or maybe a colleague is facing a sad situation.

Helping Employees Cope with Bad News

Whatever the bad news is, leaders can often tell from the scared-rabbit looks on employees’ faces that they’ll have to manage the panicked fallout.

Situations like this are inevitable. But managers can go into them prepared by adopting some strategies to get teams through the bad news.

Here are eight ways to lessen the pain (and the drama that often follows) from Dan Rockwell, author of The Vagrant and the Leadership Freak blog:

1. Let Employees Complain a Little

There’s no use rehashing the bad news if nothing can change it. The only thing that can change is your team’s outlook.

Say the company announced a hiring freeze – and you know your employees already feel overworked. Their frustration levels are probably sky-high at this point, so allowing them to vocalize can at least ease some of the tension.

Listen to their concerns and don’t belittle them.

Acknowledge that the news doesn’t help, but remind them to take a realistic view of the situation: “We’ve been down this road, and we’re making do with fewer people pretty well for now. But I get your frustration.”

Just an acknowledgment of angst can help defuse it.

2. Paint The Big Picture

Getting employees to consider the impact the situation will have on them can dispel concerns. It helps them understand what the news really means for them and that it might not be as bad as they think.

As in the above example, get them to ask some questions:

• Are there ways we can help each other work better together?
• What’s worked in the past when we had staffing shortages?
• What can we change or do now since we know we won’t get more staff?

Offer ideas about how to turn the situation around, or at least minimize any damage.

3. Open Up

Tough times are worse when information is scarce.

Tell everyone everything you can, within reason, that will affect them. A series of brief conversations can have more impact than one long talk.

They’ll feel better knowing you’re willing to be honest about the situation, which goes a long way to ease fears.

4. Get Their Take on Things

All employees want their opinions to be valued.

By asking “What’s your feeling about this news?” or “Tell me what’s bothering you most,” team members will feel you take their concerns seriously and welcome their opinions.

If you can, pose this question to employees individually if you think the bad news affects them directly (for example, if a hiring freeze affects a promotion).

This will spark dialogue about concerns that need to be hashed out.

5. Refocus on the Team’s Main Goals

When stormy winds blow, purpose fuels grit.

Leadership coach Joel Garfinkle recommends injecting optimism into your team’s psyche through some small but effective questions:

• “What do we need to get done?” This helps the team focus on a common vision. This question reveals areas where your employees lack confidence and problems that should be addressed. It also helps redefine their goals and encourages them to work around the bad news.
• “What can I do better?” In this case, “I” means “you.” Take the step of asking your team if there’s anything YOU can do to make the situation better. Even if no one comes up with anything, it reinforces the idea that you’re in the same boat with them. And employees notice that.

6. Reinforce Your Appreciation

It’s easy to say “thanks,” but getting specific reinforces to employees that you truly appreciate their day-to-day efforts.

Point out things they’ve done that you’re thankful for, even basic stuff like regularly meeting deadlines. Yes, you know it’s their job, but their commitment to it earns some credit, especially if they’ve been steady during not-so-good circumstances.

7. Turn to Your Optimists for Help

It’s easy to focus on critics and complainers and forget about those who are small points of light in bad news situations.

They’re the ones who are the most easy-going, upbeat and engaged. Enlist their support to keep morale up and work running smoothly following bad news. A positive outlook is catching, after all. So in the same vein …

8. Deal with the Naysayers in Private

Bad news affects your entire team, but that doesn’t mean employees all respond in the same way. Resist the urge to correct the whole team when only a few take a negative attitude.

For those employees who can’t seem to drop those attitudes, take them aside and tell them that while you understand the situation isn’t good, it’s still up to them to do their jobs well and remain dedicated.

You don’t want their cynicism to infect the rest of the team.