Raise your hand if you’ve been through a layoff. Keep your hand raised if you kept your job through it and are faced with the reality of attempting to rebuild the company culture after a massive layoff. You are what people call a “survivor” and my goodness, that’s a lot of pressure on your shoulders to help the organization recover, eh?
My all-star special guest today is culture lead and event planner, Daniel Stokes and he’s simplifying how to rebuild company culture after a massive layoff. Both Daniel and I have recently been through a layoff at a large organization and we come to the table with practical advice that you can begin to implement at your own company immediately.
Here’s how.
My all-star special guest today is Daniel Stokes and he’s simplifying how to rebuild company culture after a massive layoff.
We tackle and simplify all aspects of it, including:
- What the very first step is that your HR or People & Culture team must take immediately after a layoff has been announced at your organization.
- Why he believes that “culture repair is everyone’s job,” and not just the responsibility of HR.
- Let’s face it - Trust is lost after a layoff… He talks about the ways that managers and senior leadership can work together to rebuild that trust with their workforce, one conversation at a time.
- One major mistake that organizations tend to make after announcing a layoff that is a massive blunder.
- How to create a safe space for employee listening (through forums, surveys, town halls), where employee feedback can be captured and then actioned upon.
- …and ultimately, we implore everyone listening to this to consider one simple idea: instead of cutting People & Culture budgets after a layoff, what a better solution would be to improve employee engagement and rebuild company pride.
Q: Are you ready to learn how to rebuild your company’s culture after a layoff? If yes, this one is for you.
It’s time to #DoTheThing!
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<What’s catching my eye this week>
- 3 hours of (free) focus music for deep concentration - Quiet Quest - Study Music
- 4 Signs of Layoff Survivor Syndrome - IMPACT Group
- 50 powerful questions to help you reflect - The Institute of You
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My challenge for you this week:
How are you going to take what you’ve learned in today’s episode and start to rebuild company culture after a layoff this week? What’s one thing you’ll do differently? Share it with me, privately or publicly. Snap a photo of you doing the thing, and send me a DM over on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/thesimplifiers) for added accountability and support!
Episode sponsored in part by Goodboy Agency, providing employer branding redesigns for busy HR Teams:
This episode is brought to you in part by Goodboy, helping HR teams compete for top talent. Goodboy helps midsize companies strengthen their employer brand, attract better candidates, and fill open roles faster. From redesigning your careers page to running targeted recruitment campaigns, they’ll help your company stand out in a crowded talent market. Visit www.goodboyagency.com/simplifiers to learn more.
Links, books and apps mentioned:
Resource: Find Daniel Stokes on LinkedIn - click here
Blog: FWD JOY is a newsletter dedicated to the journey of self-discovery, self-care, and self-investment, written by Chrissy Rutherford - FWD JOY
Podcast: Top 5 AI tools to help your get a job - The Simplifiers Podcast
Podcast: How to heal your career wounds, featuring Mandy Tang - The Simplifiers Podcast
Podcast: How to squash the Sunday Scaries (guided visualization) - The Simplifiers Podcast
Mary’s new book is out NOW on Amazon!
My new book, Squash the Sunday Scaries: A Modern Playbook to Rebuild Trust, Transform Culture, and Reignite Your Workforce, is out now — and you can buy it today on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or your favorite independent bookstore. It’s written for HR leaders, people managers, and anyone ready to make work better in a practical, human way. If you’ve been looking for simple tools to improve employee experience, rebuild trust, and create better results for your people and your business, this book is for you. Learn more, visit: https://squashthesundayscaries.com
About Daniel Stokes:
Daniel Stokes - He is passionate about connecting the world through intentional programs, events, and experiences. With over 8 years of experience in corporate culture building, he has played a pivotal role in every community he’s been a part of. Daniel leads cultural events, prioritizes Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives, ensuring that everyone feels valued and truly loves coming to work.
A seasoned professional in corporate event planning, Daniel seamlessly combines his expertise with a genuine love for people, making him a pioneer in the space of people and culture. He brings his authentic self to moderating and speaking on various panels about culture, diversity, equity, and employee engagement – often adorned in sequins!
In his downtime, Daniel enjoys playing video games, indulging in reality TV, and expressing his wanderlust through travel. When he's not planning the next big event or finding innovative ways to bring people together, you can catch Daniel reading a book, sipping a glass of wine in his Brooklyn backyard, or enjoying tequila-themed cocktails at a local bar.
Where Daniel hangs out online:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielastokes/
Website: https://danielstokesevents.squarespace.com/
Website*: https://thebrowser.company/
*NOTE: This episode was recorded on March 06, 2024. Since then, I’m happy to report that Daniel accepted a role at The Browser Company of New York, as their Culture Lead.
Daniel’s vote for the perfect guest on The Simplifiers Podcast:
Maceo Owens - She is “The ERG Homegirl” and is a Gen Z ERG Enthusiast. After ERGs changed the trajectory of her life, she’s passionate about helping them to do the same for others - by making efficient ERGs as simple as possible.
Maceo has served as an ERG Leader and Program Manager to major tech companies. As a former support agent, she’s also passionate about “frontline” engagement in ERG Programs. Maceo has a deep interest in entrepreneurship and has spent years studying the craft of building a successful business. When she took her learnings and applied them to ERGs, she realized that she had something different - something ERG Programs needed.
Through The ERG Movement, founded in 2022, Maceo hopes to drive much needed change in the ERG space.
