DO THE RIGHT THING
There isn't a week (sometimes a day) that goes by that someone isn't telling me that they've been laid off. Whether they have been let go from the corporate world or the church there are some stories to celebrate and some that make me cringe.
I've asked some arts leaders from around the country to draw on their experiences - good and bad. This wisdom and advice comes from people on both sides of the desk.
There is so much to cover, so I am going to make 2 posts. Check back tomorrow for the rest of the story.
- Give people advance notice. Let them know that overall expenses need to be reduced and why. My counsel suggests be specific about your financial situation. That will help people understand the gravity of it. It is often difficult for people to imagine the church will have to lay people off. Let them know your process - let them know you are looking at expenses as well as positions. Let them know how you are looking to save costs. Be truthful in letting them know how much the percentage of cost savings will have to come from salaries.
- Don't make decisions based solely on position or time in the organization. Look at how positions fit into the mission and future of the church. Consider a person's attitude and work performance.
- Remember the person being laid off is a part of your church. It can often be hard to separate the lay off from church staff and being a church attender. Keep in touch with the person. Check in to see how they are and if applicable, how their family is doing. Because we don't know the ‘right things' to say we often avoid saying anything. Don't give Satan a foothold - don't give him the opportunity to whisper lies. If you don't know firsthand, there are many of us, myself included that can tell you a time of unemployment can be a time of self-doubt and discouragement. Having people around you that speak truth about who you are & how you are gifted can make an enormous difference. Having someone sincerely ask how you are doing is a great gift. One leader I talked with suggested a period of 6 months follow-up.
- Don't delegate this responsibility to your HR department or some other leader. One leader put it this way, "the church is primarily a family - that's the Biblical model. People who are getting laid off deserve a personal explanation that is honest and fair. If we are truly committed to their spiritual growth, if they truly mean more to us that just the job they do for us, we owe them a clear explanation of why they were let go especially if it has as much to do with their performance as the economy."