Breaking Bad News at the Workplace - Essay Example

The right HR executives with the right communication and people skills must be hand-picked to execute the plan.Perform mock runs – simulated communication exercises can help immensely in identifying gaps in the plan that can be resolved before taking up the real exercise.Monitor and control adverse reactions – The best-laid plans can go awry – especially when bad news is broken – hence, it is necessary to monitor the flow or fall-out of such communications with an intent to control the circulation of any adverse or even false stories about the whole exercise – A dedicated team must be available on standby for damage containment and resolution.

Professional counseling – This facility is critical in achieving desired objectives especially in cases such as forced separation.Feedback – It is imperative that feedback is collected from the affected employees and the feedback is used to improve subsequent communications. Grievances raised should be addressed as well.Where possible, the supervisor of the targeted employee must be enlisted for feedback on the employee’s behavioral and attitudinal patterns before speaking with the employee.

Preserve integrity! - Most importantly, the management must be forthright and upfront, preserve the integrity of all people involved and respectfully the needs of both the affected employees as well as HR. You cannot let HR or the employees suffer during or after completing the exercise – It is vital that the affected employees recognize that the action was in their own best interests! (Cooper, 2007)