When confronting a financial crisis that resulted in significant budget cuts and ultimately the need to implement a reduction in force (RIF), Palm Beach County’s Office of the Clerk & Comptroller created the “We’re All in This Together” transition program during the summer of 2009. 

The scenario was this: In early 2009 it became obvious to the Clerk & Comptroller of Palm Beach County (www.mypalmbeachclerk.com) that Florida state legislation (expected to be passed by June that year) was going to severely impact the budget. In preparation, vacant jobs were not filled, and departments started reorganizing and implementing cost-cutting measures where they could in their operating expenses. 

In June, the passage of the legislation forced the Clerk’s office to reduce the budget by $7.1 million. The office was able to cut $2.1 million out of operating costs by including cost-cutting suggestions submitted by employees. Some nice-to-have, but not essential, employee benefits were reduced or frozen, including outside educational programs for staff and tuition reimbursement. 

In addition, a voluntary separation package, with a generous payout of 100 percent of accumulated sick leave, was put together for eligible employees who were interested in leaving their jobs. Thirty-two people took advantage of the package. “[Unfortunately], 90 percent of our costs are personnel,” notes Linda Culbertson, chief communications officer. 

Despite the office’s best efforts to avoid involuntary layoffs, additional positions needed to be eliminated. In just 1 year, this service-based government organization lost 101 of its 850 employees—66 through layoffs and an additional 35 positions eliminated through reorganizing and eliminating vacant positions.

Culbertson partnered with Human Resources Director Michele Nelson and other team members to create a program that supported both staffers transitioning out of the organization and employees who were staying, implemented in three phases. 

The underlying theme for the program, as determined by the executive team, was “we’re all sharing this burden; we are going to get through it together; we’re going to be okay; and we’re going to take care of each other as best we can,” says Culbertson. 

Nelson adds, “We really put ourselves in the position of the employees and said ‘we have to do whatever we can for them to ease the transition for the people who are separating and to live up to our values as an organization in our commitment to our employees.’”

Phase One: Full Disclosure 

Phase One actually started in May 2009, before the final budget reduction numbers had become available. The key to that phase was not holding back any pertinent information from employees and sharing with them any additional details received regarding the budget cuts. 

In addition, a call to action was issued to employees, requesting that they contact their legislators to express their concerns about the budget cuts and the legislation, explains Culbertson. Sample e-mails and letters were made available on both the employee intranet and the external website as well for employees to use as examples. 

“The staff was fabulous, and legislators reported receiving letters, e-mails, and telephone calls,” notes Culbertson. “We had 850 people out there along with their families and friends. They really had an impact [on legislators].”

“We felt we had been successful in building trust during this session [Phase One] because we didn’t hold anything back from the employees,” adds Culbertson.

Phase Two: Support During Separation

Phase Two included the creation of a 3-day series of transition workshops for staff members who were losing their jobs, as well as a packet of information (scripted communication) for meeting leaders, managers, and supervisors called “Separation Meeting Guidelines,” says Nelson. The guidelines helped management understand how to frame their conversations with separating employees and provided answers to questions that might be asked.

Separating employees were given a 2-week period during which they could complete projects, say their goodbyes, and generally prepare for the transition they were about to undergo, notes Nelson. “It was nice to be able to have closure for the people who stayed and for the people who had to leave. They could really wrap up their work relationships and receive and provide contact information, etc.”

Employee Assistance Program (EAP) representatives were on-site the day the layoff news was communicated to assist employees who needed support and to talk through the situation they were facing.

All separating employees were invited to attend the transition workshops, which included topics such as résumé writing, interviewing and networking tips, financial advice, and sessions with employee-benefits vendors (for continuing healthcare coverage/COBRA, etc.) explains Nelson. The workshops culminated in a job fair with local employers. 

Human Resources and some outside benefits vendors that volunteered their time led the workshops. All separating employees received the book, What Color Is Your Parachute 2009: A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career-Changers by Richard Nelson Bolles (Ten Speed Press). They also were given a flash drive that they could use to carry their résumé electronically to a computer, notes Culbertson. HR planned and executed the workshops during a 3-week time frame. 

Phase Three: Support For Remaining Staff

Phase Three focused on rebuilding the team that remained. “At the Clerk & Comptroller’s office, one of our strategic directions is to be a great place to work, and this was an opportunity to focus on the morale of remaining team members,” according to a description of the “We’re All in This Together” program. “At the heart of this transition program was the intent to foster a sense of empowerment and connection and to create a more contented and productive team.” 

This phase encouraged ongoing discussion with employees so that they could air their concerns and provide their input through in-person meetings, e-mails, telephone calls, and the employee Intranet as they adapted to new work routines, taking on different and sometimes additional responsibilities, explains Nelson.

Employees and managers were also trained on leading and delivering outstanding service in challenging times. Managers were told to expect a 90-day post-RIF period of destabilization. They were given guidelines on using a three-pronged leadership approach to assist customers and customer service clerks that consisted of walking the department, practicing triage, and coaching. 

“Employees were given hands-on customer service training focused on handling difficult situations with customers who may be experiencing increased wait times, fees, or processes. 

As a result, employees felt proud of the way the organization conducted itself during the layoff process and were confident in the resources provided to displaced employees.” 

One branch office was closed as a result of the downsizing, and customers increased in number across all other locations. In addition to reminding staff that the EAP could help them with added stressors, the Communications Department (also headed up by Culbertson) implemented the “Clerk Kudos” program to recognize employees who perform stellar work and maintain customer good will. The department also implemented a weekly Employee Appreciation Dress-Down Day. 

The Outcome

The campaign was highly successful. People who involuntarily left the Clerk’s office used the resources and skills shared through the program to land new employment positions. The April 2010 quarterly report regarding unemployment claims showed that only three of the original 42 people who collected unemployment benefits were still claiming unemployment benefits at the end of the first quarter of 2010. 

Remaining employees maintained a high level of faith and trust in the Clerk’s office as evidenced in an employee survey taken 6 months after the layoff was announced (and completed in conjunction with the South Florida’s Business Journal Best Place to Work Award application). 

When asked to express their level of agreement with the statement, “I’d like to be working at this organization 1 year from today,” only 6 percent of employees gave an unfavorable response, Culbertson explained. And only 12 percent disagreed with the statement, “I trust the leaders of this organization to set the right course.” 

The Clerk & Comptroller of Palm Beach County was also honored as one of three recipients of the international 2010 Work-Life Innovative Excellence Award by the Alliance for Work (www.awlp.org) at WorldatWork(www.worldatwork.org), based largely on the creation and success of the “We’re All in This Together” program.

What to Remember 

Nelson shares her concluding thoughts and advice to HR professionals: “No matter how overwhelming something like [the budget cuts and reduction in force] seems, it’s important that [HR professionals] do the right thing for our employees. And as difficult as it is for us, it’s at least 10 times more difficult for them.”

Culbertson describes the experience as walking into the danger. “When we found ourselves unprepared or not knowing what to do in a brand new situation like this, “I think we were brave. We said ‘we’re going to have the conversation with the employees. We’re going to confront this and be open.’ 

I think that really served us, and I know for me that since that time, I go back to that situation when I have to address something that’s uncomfortable. [Whatever it is], it’s nowhere near as uncomfortable as it was last year” when they planned and executed the three phases of the “We’re All in This Together” transition program. “That [event] strengthened us ultimately in terms of leadership.”

For more information about “We’re All in This Together,” contact Nelson at mnelson@mypalmbeachclerk.com.

Editor’s note: As this issue goes to press, the Clerk & Comptroller’s office is facing another significant budget gap for the fiscal year starting July 1, 2010, and will possibly be going through another round of “We’re All in This Together” beginning this month, June 2010.