Remote working has unquestionably been incredibly important during the Covid pandemic. Indeed, research from Kellogg Business School found that the economic impact of the pandemic would have been considerably greater if remote working wasn’t such a seamless option.

They remind us that remote workers not only contributed via their labor but also via their economic spending. For instance, there was a significant increase in expenditure on office equipment as people adapted their homes for remote working.

The right tools

As we’ve had such an intensive deep dive into remote working, however, it has quickly emerged that there are some things that it isn’t so effective for. For instance, research from the University of Toronto showed that people doing job interviews virtually suffered considerably from anxiety.

A second study, from the University of Michigan, found that this is in part because we struggle to catch the various subtle cues that occur during the course of a conversation.

The researchers highlight that when we have conversations the transition time between speakers is usually around 200 milliseconds.  This means that the listener has to simultaneously absorb what the other person is saying and plan their response.  Our brains try and help us with this by synching the syllable rate of us and our colleagues to assist us with timing.  It transpires that video platforms mess up with this process.

It’s perhaps no surprise, therefore, that Cornell research showed that when it comes to making important requests of others, it’s better to do so in person than virtually. The researchers found that asking for help in person gives us a much better chance of getting a “yes” response, with email the least effective method, and telephone and video calling in between.

Virtual redundancies

So given these communication challenges, one might think that laying people off via Zoom isn’t the greatest idea in the world, but online used car retailer Carvana was reported to have laid off around 2,500 via Zoom recently.

Suffice to say, there is a growing belief that hybrid working will become a common feature of working life in the months and years ahead, so are there things to consider when laying people off in such a hybrid environment?

There are a few steps you can take to help you tackle this situation in a compassionate and effective manner:

• Take a personal approach – This is a highly volatile time that demands sensitivity in your communication with staff. Take time to figure out the best way to deliver the news to each individual. Time may well be of the essence, but ensure you have done adequate preparation so you have not only all the information you need but have considered the best way of relaying it. People will undoubtedly have a lot of questions, especially in the U.S. where healthcare is so intimately tied to employment. You will need to have the answers.
• Be respectful – You will not be able to make what is a horrible situation a joyful one, and people are likely to become upset with the news you give them. Nonetheless, you should deliver the news with real empathy and compassion. How you treat people in this most vulnerable of times says a huge amount about you as an organization, so be fair and respectful.
• Be supportive – It is likely that employees will be only too well aware of the wider economic circumstances, but try and explain your rationale when breaking the news. Then move on to helping them cope with their immediate future. It is almost certain that their redundancy is no reflection on their performance, but it will still be a hard blow to take, especially as it is likely that people will not have a chance to say farewell to colleagues. Do your best to provide any kind of career transition support your organization is capable to provide during this difficult time. Most of all, show you care, even if people are not on your payroll any longer.
• Communicate to remaining staff – At times of great uncertainty, there will inevitably be various rumors swirling around, so it is important that communication with the remaining staff is excellent during this period. They will need to understand the economic conditions the organization is working in, as they will naturally be worried about their own jobs. It is difficult to predict how things will unfold, so people will not expect you to know the impossible, but be honest, transparent, and frank with the conditions as they are, and how they are guiding your decisions.
• Take time for yourself – This is a stressful time, and while it may seem that as you are the one giving redundancies out rather than receiving them that your life is not so bad. It is nonetheless incredibly hard, and we all know that when we are tired, stressed, and operating by emotion, it can be difficult to make the best decisions.  Ensure you have some means of stress relief, whether through exercise, counseling, or some other means of offloading the worries of your day. Your team will benefit the clarity it brings to your thinking.

The Covid pandemic was undoubtedly a transformational time for many of us, and one of its enduring legacies is a desire for more humane and compassionate leadership. Laying people off virtually isn’t ideal, but in a hybrid workplace is likely to be inevitable. Hopefully, if the above tips are kept in mind it can at least be done compassionately.