Thrive in Five Newsletter: 5 Resources for Federal Leaders Managing Post-Reduction Teams
A Message from Evans’ Managing Partners
When the dust settles after workforce reductions, a critical challenge emerges: maintaining operational efficiency with the team that remains. During workforce transitions, effective leaders take decisive actions: acknowledge the operational reality, establish clear communication channels, realign team responsibilities, reinforce mission priorities, and implement sustainable performance systems.
The resources we’ve curated this month provide practical approaches to help your teams maintain momentum through transitions while addressing the human factors that directly impact mission delivery. By understanding how workforce reductions affect team dynamics and performance, leaders can navigate disruption with resilience and a focus on what matters most — delivering on your agency’s mission with excellence, even during times of change.
1. Survivor Syndrome: Support After Workforce Reductions
The emotional aftermath of workforce reductions has a name: survivor syndrome. This phenomenon — characterized by guilt, anxiety, and disengagement among remaining staff — can silently undermine productivity and mission focus long after the organizational charts are redrawn.
SHRM unpacks the emotional and organizational risks facing employees who remain after layoffs. With practical guidance for federal managers — like building trust and avoiding burnout — this is a frontline resource for navigating morale in turbulent times.
2. Coping with Uncertainty in the Federal Workforce
Uncertainty in government creates unique challenges that private sector frameworks often miss. When policy instability and leadership transitions occur simultaneously, it impacts federal employees’ sense of security and purpose.
The American Psychological Association explores how policy instability and leadership changes are impacting mental health in government. This article offers tactics from behavioral scientists to foster clarity and address morale.
3. Leading Through Layoffs: Strategies for Federal Managers
Leadership during workforce reductions requires a careful balance between operational necessities and human considerations. Federal managers face unique challenges when supporting team members who remain after significant personnel changes.
Written by leadership expert Joseph Grenny, this piece offers federal managers practical approaches to rebuild team cohesion when clarity and certainty are in short supply. The article provides actionable steps for creating a “new normal” after workforce changes, with particular attention to maintaining mission focus despite diminished resources.
4. Re-norming Team Culture in Federal Agencies
During significant workforce transitions, team dynamics inevitably shift. There is a critical need to establish new operating norms that acknowledge changed responsibilities while maintaining mission focus and team cohesion.
This targeted session provides federal leaders with practical strategies for rebuilding team culture after workforce changes. The webinar offers structured approaches to help reset expectations, reestablish trust, and reconnect teams to their core mission — essential skills for maintaining operational continuity during transitions.
5. Rebuilding Your Smaller Team to Meet the Mission
In the aftermath of workforce reductions, rebuilding team cohesion and restoring confidence requires intentional leadership. Managers need a structured approach to help navigate one of their most challenging responsibilities: supporting those who remain.
Written by certified executive coach Marlo Lyons, this resource provides federal leaders with a five-step framework for rebuilding team security and trust. The article offers practical guidance on managing the change curve, setting realistic expectations, and providing the transparency employees need to regain confidence in the organization’s direction.
Final Thoughts
Navigating workforce transitions isn’t just about managing organizational charts—it’s about creating systems that acknowledge operational realities while building sustainable paths forward.
Three questions to consider as you implement these resources:
- How are you creating communication channels that provide clarity during uncertain times?
- What systems are you putting in place to redistribute work sustainably?
- Where might you need to adjust expectations about timelines and deliverables while maintaining focus on core mission priorities?
The reality of workforce transitions is difficult and often painful—there is no easy path forward. What we can do is approach these challenging circumstances with professionalism, transparency, and careful attention to both operational requirements and human impact. By focusing on measured, practical steps that acknowledge the weight of these changes, federal leaders can help their teams navigate this difficult period while maintaining the critical services our citizens depend on.
