In a collective dismissal, every word is checked until the last minute — and someone still has to make it land.
By Sofie Bockaert and Katrien Decroos, Partners at SoWhatCommunications powered by Square Circle
Deciding to restructure is one of the loneliest calls a CEO makes. And the decision is only the beginning. On a single morning, the news has to reach everyone: employees, managers, unions, customers, suppliers, local authorities and, more often than not, a journalist. In the right order, in the right language, through the form that fits them, and without one word that could put the procedure at risk.
If scenarios that impact people are on the table, below you will find what needs to be ready before the works council opens. Not only the documents require careful preparation, but also the people delivering the message, which is why this cannot be covered by only the legal counsel and HR.
What must be ready before the works council opens
The extraordinary works council hears it first, then the employees, then everyone else, with only minutes in between. So all the following elements need to be finalised and validated in advance, in Dutch, French and/or English:
- The works council presentation and the internal email to employees
- A briefing and Q&A for management
- The intranet update, and statements for customers, suppliers and local authorities
- The press statement, a media Q&A and a holding statement in case it leaks early
All of this is prepared together with HR, Legal, and Communications. What matters most is that it is clear who communicates what, to whom and when. The last thing you want is an important customer learning it from the press.
The rationale and the key messages stay the same for every audience. The wording does not.
Documents do not deliver difficult news. People do.
Employees hear the news from their own organisation, usually in a group session. What happens next determines how it lands: their own manager must be there for them, answer their questions and keep the conversation going in the days that follow. And often that manager was not involved in the preparation of the project.
So, our job is to prepare them. They get the rationale behind the project, not only the slides, and they are trained in how to communicate in uncertain times — what to say when they don’t have the answer yet, and how to handle the reactions that come back. The goal is that people keep coming to their own manager, and not to the corridor. The same preparation applies to the people who will be approached from outside. Anyone who may face a camera or a microphone is trained beforehand.
What people really ask
People do not ask about strategy. The first question is always: do I have to come in on Monday? Then come the notice periods, the future of the company — and what they can do themselves. What happens to my company car, my laptop, my group insurance? What about my bonus, outplacement, or the employment cell? We build that Q&A together with HR and the Legal counsel. Every question gets an answer and an owner, so no manager must improvise when someone’s livelihood is at stake.
The announcement is one day. The procedure runs for months.
Then come the negotiations on the social plan, the individual conversations, the participation in the employment cell, the registered letters, and the last working day. Every one of those steps needs communication.
Meanwhile the people who stay are watching how their colleagues leave and deciding whether they still see a future here. They also inherit the work that is left behind, and that is a conversation in itself. Every additional week of uncertainty carries a cost in terms of unwanted attention, motivation of key people and trust of customers. So plan time, people and budget for that period, just as you plan for the announcement itself.
Capacity, not capability
Most organisations have capable Communications and HR professionals. Sometimes that seat is empty. More often, the that person is already carrying a full agenda, or has never managed a procedure like this. While day-to-day responsibilities continue uninterrupted, organisations sometimes benefit from extra support to navigate complex communication challenges effectively. That is a question of capacity and experience, not of capability.
“After more than twenty years and over 230 reorganisations, this is what I have learned: you cannot improvise this, and you should not carry it alone. The value is in preparing early and in building the right team around you — people who support and strengthen your own managers instead of taking over from them.“
Katrien Decroos, Co-founder Square Circle – Partner SoWhatCommunications
Wording matters
Belgian restructuring law exists because an announcement went wrong. In February 1997, the 3,098 people at Renault Vilvoorde heard on the radio news that their plant would close. A year later, Belgium had the Renault Act.
It does not stop a company from restructuring, but it does set the order. You announce an intention, not a decision, and then engage in a constructive dialogue with employee representatives. That intention is real: in the first half of 2026, 467 of the 4,539 announced dismissals were avoided during social dialogue (SD Worx).
That is why the legal counsel checks every word until the last minute. We work within your counsel’s wording, not around it, and everything we write goes to them first.
How we support you: before, during and after
Before: we start from the financial and economic business case and turn it into messaging employees can understand and follow. We shape the key messages and help decide who is best placed to deliver them. We align leadership, and we prepare your managers for the conversations they will need to have.
During: we make sure every message reaches the right people in the right order and the right language (always validated by the legal counsel) — from the works council and the individual conversations to customers, authorities, and the media. And we keep listening to what is circulating on the floor.
After: we help you anchor the new direction, keep the people who stay on board, and learn from the process.
We work alongside your internal and external legal teams. Sometimes that is your in-house counsel, sometimes the law firm advising you. We are your advisers, your hands-on support alongside your HR and communication teams, or even your interim communication lead.
As a CEO you will be well supported on the numbers and on the law. Make sure someone is looking after the message and how to land it as well — and start earlier than feels necessary, while a no-go is still on the table.
If you’re interested to have more information on this field of expertise, don’t hesitate to contact Sofie Bockaert or Katrien Decroos, partners at SoWhatCommunications powered by Square Circle.
Contact us: info@sowhatcoms.com
About SoWhatCommunications, Powered by Square Circle
SoWhatCommunications is a collective of independent senior experts in strategic communication, change and crisis communication, and public and regulatory affairs, combining the flexibility of freelancers with the breadth and delivery power of an agency. In 2025 Square Circle joined SoWhatCommunications, bringing in additional support on crisis and change communication. The team draws on more than thirty years of experience with restructurings, collective dismissals, closures and mergers, always alongside HR, in-house counsel, law firms and insurers.
More information: www.sowhatcoms.com – www.squarecircle.be
Sources: VRT NWS (Renault Vilvoorde 1997) · Commit (Renault Act, 1998) · SD Worx, 20 August 2026, based on FOD WASO figures.