Considering layoffs? Here's expert guidance for managers

"Whether you call it a 'layoff' or a 'reduction in force,' few management challenges are as difficult as cutting employees’ jobs.  This situation is made doubly difficult by the high level of dedication felt by employees who work for nonprofits," says Bill McCoy, senior manager and principal with LaPiana Associates. 

"If your nonprofit is faced with making job cuts, it is critical to get good counsel, plan the process, and articulate a clear message to all concerned," he writes in a recent "Nonprofit Tools You Can Use" article for the Fieldstone Alliance These steps will not make a layoff easy, but they can minimize damage and maximize the likelihood of a solid recovery.

Click here for "When Layoffs Are Necessary, Nonprofits Need to Be Planful," a comprehensive guide to managers forced to reduce staff, which covers legal, practical, leadership and managerial issues, costs, severance, communications, "leading the survivors," dos and don'ts and links for more information.