The challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic is presenting to businesses today are myriad. Among the most heartbreaking for Evergreen® leaders is the necessity, in some cases, of carrying out layoffs. For many leaders, this will be the first time they have had to lay off employees, and it’s hard to reconcile this move with People First principles. When you love your people, letting them go is an excruciating experience.

Even for those leaders who may have guided a company through layoffs in a previous downturn, it’s important to acknowledge that this is a unique situation. This could go on for a long time. People are dying. Your employees today are not only worried about losing their jobs, they are worried about their health and the health of their loved ones. It’s personal. It’s emotional. It’s uncharted territory no matter your tenure as a leader.