Our company is in the middle of a massive reorg, and I’ve been tasked with communicating the changes to my team. Problem is, I don’t even know all the details myself. I can tell my team is worried—there’s been more side conversations and fewer ideas shared in meetings. I want to be honest without spreading my own uncertainty, but I also don’t want to come off as overly optimistic if things might get tougher. For those who’ve been in this situation, how did you manage to keep morale up and maintain trust when your team was feeling anxious? What worked (or didn’t) for you?

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I’ve been in that boat a few times. Only share what you know and are allowed to share, not assumptions or rumors. Let them know you understand that they may be feeling anxious or scared. If that’s how you are feeling too, then tell them so. Allow them to share thoughts and feelings, and listen. Let them know you will share more information once you have more and continue to support them. Most people want to know they are not alone, not for someone to fix everything. Being open and honest, listening, creating a culture of safety, having empathy…that’s what builds trust in times like this, not having all the answers or making everything suddenly better. That’s been my experience anyway.

That's exactly how our House Managers handled our recent situation. They were plagued with relaying staffing changes (down staffing) but had to do so without complete information themselves. I'm sure they are privy to a little more than they can tell but they still don't know everything. Upper management knew there would be a lot of upset nurses and they didn't want to be put in front of us to deliver the news. I work in a rural hospital that is part of one of the biggest networks in the US. So far we have lost our techs, had our hours cut (lots of weeks parttime hours), they are watching our clock in/outs like hawks, keeping our ICU (4 bed) full of our medsurg and PCU patients because they don't have enough (or any) ICU patients. Times are scary folks! Hold on to what you have but always keep your eyes and ears open!

The best thing you can do is be scrupulously honest with your team. Make sure you get in writing what is happening, and stay within the four corners of that when you communicate to people what is happening. Don't add or embellish anything. If you do not know something, and can't answer a question honestly and responsibly, say you do not know. People want solid information, not spin. If you give them the straight facts it will serve everyone better.

Being honest goes a long way. I wouldn’t go deep into the fact that you don’t know a whole lot or have a ton of answers, but at least telling your team that you will give them what you know the moment you know it goes a long way. People just wanted to be treated like adults and with respect and just that means a lot.

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