Is there a way to prevent erosion of trust during a period of org-mandated layoffs and restructuring? How have you rebuilt trust within your department after restructuring?

Like Chris Oehlerking, we too have had multiple years of multiple reductions. By far the most uncomfortable part of my job. It puts me in a horrible mood from the start where I receive targeted numbers until the dreadful day where I must deliver the difficult message. At the end, I want nothing more than to deliver an 'all clear' message to the remaining team, but unfortunately, it is never all clear as Chris mentioned, the next quarterly earnings release can start the whole process over again. 

There are many things that could be discussed with this but want to get to the requested topic of 'restoring trust'. After 6 years with at least one restructuring per year in IT, not sure 100% restoration is viable. I believe the best I can do is to keep them prepared. To continually set the stage that it could happen at any time to anyone. To push my team to come to the realization that they must not need the company more than the company needs them. That they need to always be prepared beyond keeping their resume up to date, to establish networks of people that they can call on to support them. To continue to build their skills in both depth and breadth. To make sure management knows them and what they do. 

Besides the obvious situation where I lose team members who make a preemptive jump before a layoff happens (good for them), the other counter is something we see here in IT is 'fear of missing out, FOMO'. The fear that you may not have as much depth as someone else is manifested in people wanting to be in every thing they can. To go to all workshops, to listen in on all status meetings. We have created an unhealthy culture where people think all they need to do is work harder or longer than someone else and they will thus survive. In many cases it skews their work-life balance in a negative way. And as I try to point out, there is no guarantee, not for me or them. Sometimes the economic situation of the company forces them to let good people go. There is no real safe place in capitalism, but it is still best thing out there!

And additional step if you have many young employees is explain basic business accounting software but, profit, loss, sales, expenses so they understand the earnings calls and understand when the business is doing well and when it is not. Then the layoffs will feel a little (very little) less insensitive and arbitrary

We went through layoffs very frequently as my past employer. Sometimes two or three times in a year. I only recall a few years where there were none out of the decades I was there. A key thing is do not lie. I was always amazed when the CEO or CIO would say “no layoffs planned at this time”, which meant 60 days of safety since it took the lawyers that long to approve the list. Instead, say we are reviewing our employment levels versus our sales and income. We hope to sell more but we need to prepare for a downturn and admit sometimes you cannot disclose all the details. Honesty is the best policy and only the foolish believe the double speak.