6 things to do about empty offices after a layoff

Post from Leadership Turn Image credit: re_birf

Yesterday you learned 5 things that a leader should do in a layoff, but what about after? Whether you think of yourself as a leader or a manager you need to deal not just with the casualties, but with the survivors—many of whom are walking wounded.

Morale and productivity go hand in hand and both usually go south when layoffs happen and the resulting empty offices are a constant reminder of the friends and colleagues lost in the storm. Even if they didn’t always pull their weight or weren’t that well-liked, being laid off erases all the bad leaving only positive memories uppermost in their minds.

Many large companies are more concerned with subletting empty space than with the effect of empty offices and shifting employees, which is very shortsighted. The more forward thinking ones bring in professionals to help with space reorganization—but the money spent on that can backfire if the company isn’t careful.

The problem is even more critical for smaller businesses where the loss of one or two people often creates a hole as big as hundreds do in a larger organization.

But it’s not hard to follow the lead of the designers in the article without spending the bucks.

1. Don’t leave the spaces, whether offices or cubicles, empty. If you do, they become a constant reminder of friends who are gone.
2. Reusing the spaces, equipment, furniture or stuff is fine, but not on a first come, first serve basis. Assign it based on real need, not seniority, and don’t play favorites.
3. To use the space in the most productive way bring your people together and brainstorm ideas.
4. Changes, such as a lounge or brainstorming area, can be done without expensive goodies.
5. Use imagination instead of money in changing/redecorating the company and reinventing extra spaces.
6. There is amazing art to be had in thrift stores and garage sales and you may have employees who love that kind of shopping.

Finally, this kind of creativity is fun and exciting; it not only saves money, but unites people in a common goal.

Like the alchemists of old, you can’t really turn a layoff into a positive event, but you can, with effort, convert it to an opportunity to move forward.

What would you do with extra space?

Your comments—priceless

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