Doesn't Take a Psychoanalyst to Figure This One Out
A client of mine, at one of the Cal State Universities, recently received notice of being furloughed (one day every other week; 10% salary reduction). Her response, besides dread, involved deeply layered feelings of being unimportant: there was no empathy in the message, no humanity.
She was already financially stretched and this challenge presented one more opportunity for her to figure out how to cut her own living costs -- which haven't gone down in California -- or increase personal revenue. This was not a scene from the 1958 Blake Edwards comedy pairing Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh in a comedy.
This part-time layoff situation is part of the "economic crisis" that has shaped California life and politics over the last two years. (I'm guessing, if we look beyond the numbers, we'll see that about one in five workers is unemployed, underemployed or has just given up.) The reality is unmistakable but the methods are anything but refined.
For any of you who might have to be in this situation where such a communication might be required, let me offer some tips on language that just might be more empathic:
A client of mine, at one of the Cal State Universities, recently received notice of being furloughed (one day every other week; 10% salary reduction). Her response, besides dread, involved deeply layered feelings of being unimportant: there was no empathy in the message, no humanity.
She was already financially stretched and this challenge presented one more opportunity for her to figure out how to cut her own living costs -- which haven't gone down in California -- or increase personal revenue. This was not a scene from the 1958 Blake Edwards comedy pairing Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh in a comedy.
This part-time layoff situation is part of the "economic crisis" that has shaped California life and politics over the last two years. (I'm guessing, if we look beyond the numbers, we'll see that about one in five workers is unemployed, underemployed or has just given up.) The reality is unmistakable but the methods are anything but refined.
For any of you who might have to be in this situation where such a communication might be required, let me offer some tips on language that just might be more empathic:
- I'm sorry we have to do this, but...we don't really have any other options left...
- I know this may place undue hardship on you, your loved ones and families; we're all in this together...
- We will get through this...
- I can't promise what will happen...
- I want to encourage all of us to support one another, not only financially but emotionally, during these highly turbulent times...
- I respect and appreciate the contributions and sacrifices that all of you have made and hope we can count on your continued support....
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