Reduction in Force Information

The information on this page has been compiled to assist employees who have been notified their position will be eliminated, through a Reduction in Force.

Reduction in Force Policies and Procedures

Forms

Reduction in Force - Analysis Worksheet

Employee Assistance Program-The Village Business Institute

Job Loss Grief Stages

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Stage One: Denial

When a person is first informed that their employment is going to end, their first response is a stunned “this can’t be happening to me.” This stage may last only a few minutes, or it can last for weeks. Sometimes the person becomes convinced that management will change their minds because that has happened before.

Stage Two: Anger

After the person comes to the realization that they are really going to lose their job, they get angry. The anger is usually toward the company or the management, but often it is directed elsewhere. It is not uncommon for people to take their anger out on family or friends.

Stage Three: Bargaining

Not everyone appears to go through this stage, but at least some do. Usually, the bargaining is something like asking God to intervene in the operation of the company, or promising God all sorts of things in return for another job.

Stage Four: Depression

When it becomes obvious that termination is inevitable, depression sets in. The depression may be mild and allow the person to go on to the next stage, or it may be severe enough to inhibit normal functioning. Even when one successfully goes on to Stage Five, recurring bouts with depression are not uncommon.

Stage Five: Acceptance, or Getting On With Life

One may enter this stage before depression has completely ended. In fact, it is common for people to have to continually work to fight depression if it looks like job prospects are bleak. Those who have the most success in this stage are those who learn to manage their attitudes. They realize that success is usually the result of applying a positive attitude to keep trying, exploring alternatives, and building networks.

Stage One: Numbness

Whether you have gone through a “pre-termination” phase or not, you still experience some degree of numbness and disbelief that you have actually lost your job. This may explain why some people at first act as if they think they can continue their same lifestyle on unemployment benefits.

Stage Two: Yearning

Once a person has gone through the numbness stage, they often get “homesick” for the old job. Even if they didn’t like their job, they may still miss the people, the routine, etc. This stage will also usually include anger toward the company or specific people, particularly if there was little or no transition period.

Stage Three: Disorganization and Despair

The person comes to terms with the job loss, but cannot seem to get on with life. They procrastinate about trying to find another job, partly out of fear of failure and partly out of embarrassment from being jobless. When they do begin, it is often a haphazard effort. They often become depressed.

Stage Four: Reorganization of Behavior

The person finally realizes that in order to possibly return to the quality of life they had before, they must make some changes in their life. They no longer blame anyone for the past. Instead, they focus on the future and its possibilities. They begin to plan rather than daydream. Then they act based on the plan. They develop a support network which includes family, friends, mentors, and job contacts. When they become discouraged, they then can avoid reverting back to stage three. If a person has been able to go through an adequate and effective “pre-termination” phase, they can often minimize stages two and three of the “terminated” phase. This is particularly the case when they have been able to take advantage of support services or develop their own support group during the earlier phase. Just as with other types of grief, a person with job-loss grief has three basic choices. They can stay at the same point and fixate, they can regress, or they can progress and go on to the next stage of living. Understanding the job-loss grief process can help them to get on to that next stage in a healthy and productive way.

Note: The stages of the “Pre-termination” Phase were based on the stages of grief identified by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross for those facing their own death. The stages of the “Terminated” Phase were based on C.M. Parkes’ stages of grief for those who have lost loved ones.

Discussing a Job Layoff with Your Family

The loss of a job can put a big strain on the family. A complicated job search coupled with the stress of re-budgeting can try the strongest of relationships. Yet, most families are able to cope and emerge stronger for the experience. Some families even find that new avenues of communication and appreciation for careful money management are acquired by both adults and children as a result of a job loss.

What To Tell The Kids

If you have a partner or spouse, work together to manage the loss of a job. Decide when and how to break the news to your children. Review the family budget and decide what you can do without. Seek input from your children if you think it appropriate.

Tell your children about the job loss in language they can understand. Be prepared to answer their questions. Reassure them that all will be well. When discussing a job loss, stress that it is a temporary situation and for a while, things will be a bit different and you need their help.

Breaking The News

If you have preschool children, your explanation should be simple and concrete. It’s important to tell them that the job loss is not their fault and Mom and/or Dad will take care of things. Mom or Dad may seem upset at times but it is not because of something the child did.

School age children are ready for more information. It is important that you share the basic facts with them. Children are intuitive. They know when something is wrong. If they do not know what the problem is, they may imagine something much worse than the reality. Letting your children in on the facts decreases their anxiety and enables them to make a contribution to the planning/problem solving process.

One of the developmental tasks of adolescence is fitting in with peers. Clothes and material things become very important during this period. Thus, the teenager may feel threatened by a change in the family’s financial situation. A teen may react to the news of a parent’s job loss with anger or resentment. It’s important to listen to your teen’s feelings and keep lines of communication open.

Family Meetings

Family meetings are a good vehicle for discussing a job loss with your children. The family meeting provides a means of including them in some aspects of problem solving. Children are better able to cope with change if they know in advance what changes to expect. Regularly scheduled family meetings provide a forum for discussing these issues.

Have a family meeting at least once a week or more often if you need to discuss new information or feelings need to be aired. Children will look to you as a role model during this time of change and stress.

Successful Family Meeting Tips

Discuss your job seeking plan and other changes in your routine that might affect your children.
Share your feelings and listen to your children. All family members should have an opportunity to explore feelings in a non-critical environment.
Involve your children in some aspect of the family budgeting process. Use the job loss as an opportunity to help your children learn about money management. Take the children shopping. Let them "comparison shop" for food and other items.
Use family meetings to plan weekly outings. There are many low cost activities for families. Read to your children, watch TV with them, picnic in the park, walk in the woods, enjoy an art project, visit old friends.

Seek Help If Necessary

If you feel overwhelmed or your family is having difficulty coping, seek family counseling.
Professional counseling can:

Help minimize disruption and anxiety.
Help promote problem solving and stability.
Initiate positive communication among family members.
Help improve relationships.

You are able to use the services of the Village Employee Assistance Program both now and for up to 90 days following your last day of work. The Village can provide individual, family and financial counseling. Call 800-627-8220 and state that you would like access EAP services.

Taking Care of Yourself: The Mind-Body Response to a Traumatic Event

Before the Event

Our body responds to images created in our mind. That is why we feel agitated when we interpret an event (regardless of whether these images arise out of a real or imaginary threat) as a big problem. Over the short-term, this stress or agitation may mobilize us to take action. But if our anxiety level remains high or increases over a prolonged period of time and nothing is done to manage it, we begin to "burn out" from functioning non-stop on "red-alert."

After the Event

Feelings of shock, disbelief, denial, guilt and depression arise out of the trauma of losing something important, and being unable to prevent the loss. You may already be familiar with the stages of loss:

Initially, we feel stunned, confused, and unable to accept the situation and/or deny that the event has actually happened.
Next, anger arises because we were powerless to prevent the loss of something really important: our anger is an outgrowth of our frustration.
At some point, we may feel guilty and responsible for the loss; that somehow, we could have prevented it. We play endless "If only..." scenarios in our mind.
Depression arises when we stop resisting reality, and the implications of the loss "hit home."
Eventually, we accept the situation - if we have given ourselves time and permission to feel and deal with negative emotions. We have only enough energy for facing forward toward the future or backward toward the past, not both. In this stage, an understanding of the price we pay for hanging on indefinitely to angry, depressed feelings can help move us into a period of revitalization.

Suggestions from the Experts

1. Keep things in perspective

Ask yourself:

I’ve been through change before; what have I learned that can help me now?
What area of my life can I turn to for support?

2. Maintain your physical fitness

Get exercise:
- A physically fit body is better able to withstand the effects of stress.
- Exercise has a calming effect that lasts long after you stop exercising.
- Exercise can stimulate the release of chemicals in the brain called endorphins, which reduce depression and stress.
Eat right:
- What you eat directly affects the way you feel.
- Limit your intake of caffeine.
- Eat smaller portions: you’ll be able to digest your food more easily.
- Resist the temptation to turn to alcohol and drugs.

3. Practice Relaxation techniques

Body scan:
- Scan your body, looking for tension.
- At each tense place, take a deep, full breath and imagine the tension being swept away as you exhale.
- Repeat a relaxing phrase to yourself (e.g.: I feel peaceful and still).

4. Get the support of others

Let those close to you know that you’re adjusting to a difficult change.
Seek professional help if the effects of stress interfere with your ability to function normally. The Village Employee Assistance Program can provide individual, family and financial counseling (1-800-627-8220).

The Village Business Institute