Because of the importance of a plant or other large employer in a town, virtually everyone in that town can be considered a stakeholder that will be affected when the plant closes down and people are laid off.
Who takes responsibility for the closure is also significant. Company managers and owners that attempt to pawn the closures and problems off on others are usually not well-received. Those that are truly responsible for the decision to close the plant should be honest with everyone about their roles in the closing and why they have made this type of decision. Large companies rarely do things without good reason, but making employees that are about to be laid-off understand the reasons can be difficult, and should not be done vaguely or through third parties in order to avoid 'taking the blame.'
One of the best ways that these individuals can give the news to others is through openness and...
Not only should the workers be told first, thoroughly, and in person, but the rest of the community should be made aware of the closure as well. The employees must be told first in order to avoid them hearing it from someone else when they were not aware that there was any kind of problem. Once all of the employees are aware of what is taking place and what will be done to help with the transition, the rest of the potentially affected stakeholders must also be told, and the best way to do this is through the local media. Press releases that are given to local papers and publications, as well as to the local news stations, can help the company get the word out to almost everyone while at the same time ensuring that the information given out is the type of information that the company wants released to the public. Looking carefully at all of these issues will help the plant to make an easier closure transition.
