Meryl's Notes Blog
Things wordy, geeky, and webbyLayoffs by Email
Wednesday, September 6th, 2006 at 7:27 AM |Drew Meyers discusses RadioShack’s unusual approach to laying off 400 people. I commented:
I had the same reaction as most everyone when I saw the headline. But after reading the article — I learned the RadioShack warned its employees this was coming and it would be by email. Furthermore, the company wanted to reach all these people at the same time at the privacy of their own desks. The Dallas Morning News article (free registration may be required) says, “Employees knew that the cuts were coming and that they initially would be notified electronically, but some experts questioned the procedure.”
It resembles my daughter’s volleyball tryouts. Last year, everyone received a letter stating whether or not they made the club team. The girls opened the letters in the gym. You could tell from their faces who made it and who didn’t.
This year, when she tried out for the school team, the coach gave them letters and told them not to open it until they were off campus. Much better. Everyone could celebrate or get upset in private.
This doesn’t mean I think RadioShack did the right thing — but that there’s another side side to the story we may not consider. It gave the company an opportunity to reach 403 people at the same time, and then they met with their supervisors 30 minutes after the notice went out.
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3 comments
For a laugh, check out Top ten methods of layoff notification that Radio Shack rejected
. Of course, layoffs are no laughing matter.
[...] Quality communication, in all formats The title of this post comes from a recent Globe & Mail article examining the importance of face-to-face communication in this age of emerging social networking technology. It’s important. Particularly to those of us who counsel clients on the merits of social media within the broader communications context. Not only do we, as practitioners, require appropropriate protocols for engaging audiences via social media vehicles such as blogs or social networking sites – ie. the need for personalization and transparency (or “try not to hide who you are and what you are doing” as one prominent Canadian blogger recently indicated to me when I asked him about his expectations). We must also be strategic on counselling the appropriateness of when to avoid social media (or any digital technology, for that matter), in certain situations. This does not need to imply that we are either for or against these technologies, or the various channels that they support. Rather, it simply implies a clear understanding of where technology fits. For example, some may say that media relations is in the decline. And I tend to agree. But traditional media will still be around for a long time – perhaps smaller and/or more concentrated, or alternatively, much more fragmented - and it will continue to exert a significant influence. To ignore that fact, is folly. Likewise, we must not give in to the easy assumption that social media, albeit an enabler of “conversations” and “transparency” and “relationships” (which it is, unquestionably), is an adequate or appropriate replacement for face-to-face dialog in all instances. For example, does McDonald’s CSR blog absolve it of any responsibility to engage individual communities or other stakeholders at the local level? Absolutely not. But it does provide the means to communicate broad-stroke commitments and provide clarity on potentially systemic issues. Does Southwest’s blog absolve the airline of ensuring a high-quality customer experience for its passengers once they’ve entered the airport environment. No, but it does help the airline communicate it’s brand values from the mouths of its most important brand ambassadors: it’s employees. RadioShack’s use of email to announce layoff’s was initially panned. However, when examined within the context of their overall “downsizing” strategy – it might seem less inappropriate given that technology was utilized within the context of a broader communications strategy that included advanced notice, and post-notification face-to-face meetings with managers. PR’s alleged claim to the “social media” space will be dictated as much by the nature of our counsel as it will be by the nature of the technology itself. Agencies that have positioned themselves to provide a holistic and integrated communications approach that transects all channels will, in my view, emerge the winner. Published 10 October 2006 08:45 by Brendan Hodgson TrackBack URL for this post:http://blogs.hillandknowlton.com/blogs/trackback.aspx?PostID=5066 [...]
I don’t see what is so bad about a company laying off workers. Radio Shack has employed thousands of people, and it’s now contracting. Is it expected to just hold onto everybody until it collapses?
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