Management has many challenges during times of economic retrenching because it is no longer business-as-usual. Lee Hecht Harrison, a global career services company based in Woodcliff Lake, N.J., offers a leadership checklist for companies having to shrink payrolls:

        • Understand what works about your organization's management style, why employees stay and what gives workers a unifying purpose.

        • Realize that different situations may require different approaches.

        • Temporarily lower productivity expectations.

        • Learn about normal emotional stress reactions like reduced concentration, withdrawal, sadness, anger or frustration.

        Keep core employees committed by:

        • Maintaining an open and steady flow of information.

        • Re-establishing trust with a clear organizational mission.

        • Skipping closed-door strategy meetings in favor of high visibility.

        Managers who handle layoffs should:

        • Be able and ready to explain underlying business reasons.

        • Be accessible, straightforward and timely in sharing information.

        • Update employees via direct supervisors.

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