In this series, business correspondent Timothy Goh offers practical answers to candid questions on navigating workplace challenges and getting ahead in your career. Get more tips by signing up to The Straits Times’ Headstart newsletter.
Q: How much information can employees reasonably expect from their bosses about possible further retrenchments? Are bosses obliged to tell employees if more retrenchments are being considered?
When an organisation announces retrenchments, much of the attention understandably goes to the employees who are leaving, and those who remain are sometimes overlooked.
For these employees, the uncertainty can be just as unsettling, as they may wonder whether the layoff exercise is over or if they could be next.
“These are legitimate concerns, especially for employees with financial and family commitments,” said Don Leow, human resources director at the National Institute of Education.
In Singapore, employers are generally not legally obliged to disclose preliminary discussions about possible retrenchments.
But there are requirements to notify the Ministry of Manpower when employees are laid off, as well as tripartite guidelines encouraging early communication with employees and unions.
Leow said there are legitimate reasons why management may not be able to share information about possible retrenchments prematurely.
Business conditions can change, different options may still be under consideration, and discussions may involve commercially sensitive information.
Not every scenario discussed by management will eventually be implemented, and disclosing such information too early could create unnecessary anxiety and speculation among staff.
Still, those who have survived a round of layoffs will naturally wonder whether further cuts are coming.
In the absence of clear communication, even routine management decisions, such as a hiring freeze or restructuring review, could fuel speculation.
“Silence does not necessarily reassure employees. Sometimes, it creates more anxiety than an uncomfortable truth,” Leow said.
“From my experience in HR, people can generally cope with difficult news better than prolonged uncertainty, particularly when they believe management is being straight with them.”
He added that employers need not disclose every management discussion, but should explain the business challenges they face, why restructuring is necessary and what is being done to stabilise the organisation.
They should also give employees a realistic picture of what to expect going forward, without making promises they cannot keep.
For instance, to boost morale, managers may be tempted to assure employees that there will be no further job cuts, even when business conditions remain uncertain.
“There is a difference between giving employees confidence and giving them false certainty,” he said.
“A more responsible approach is to be clear about what is known, acknowledge what remains uncertain, and commit to keeping employees informed as the situation develops.”
Lau Yu Ching, head of programmes at Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s Centre for Organisational Resilience and Inclusion, said employees should first reflect on their emotions and what they hope to achieve, before approaching their managers about possible further retrenchments.
Recognising the source of their anxiety can help employees distinguish between their immediate fears and the information they actually need, she said.
Employees should also consider whether they are seeking information about possible restructuring, reassurance about their job security or simply an opportunity to express their frustration.
Approaching the conversation primarily to vent or assign blame could make a constructive discussion more difficult.
“Employees should also prepare themselves for the possibility that their managers may not have the answers they are hoping for… Even if they receive reassurance, it may not completely alleviate their anxiety,” said Lau.
“The aim of reflecting beforehand is not to suppress or control emotions, but to acknowledge them, so emotions do not dictate how the conversation unfolds.”
She added that employees should be direct about their concerns while recognising that it may also be a difficult conversation for their bosses.
For example, employees could acknowledge that the question may be difficult to answer, before asking whether further changes could affect their team and whether management can share any information about what to expect or how to prepare.
Lau said: “Being direct does not mean being confrontational… A respectful and straightforward question can be more productive than approaching the subject indirectly or allowing concerns to build into frustration.”
Leow noted that with artificial intelligence, automation and changing business models, restructuring is likely to remain a feature of working life.
Employers should therefore help employees understand the skills they will need in future and support them in reskilling, rather than focusing solely on whether jobs will be cut.
Employees also have a responsibility to keep themselves employable by developing the skills and adaptability needed to remain relevant, Leow added.
“Ultimately, employers may not be obliged to disclose every discussion about possible retrenchments, and employees may not always get the certainty they want,” he said.
“But they should be able to expect honesty from their employers.”
