How to get through a project with a smaller than expected team

Project teams are forced to downsize for a variety of reasons. Budgets may be cutting, requiring layoffs. Team members could be fired or leaving for new roles right at the start of a project, or your project may have been deprioritized. Whatever the reason that happens, you can think of your approach as encompassing three categories: tools, management style and human needs. 

Tools and software 

If your team is being downsized, it’s likely that you don’t have excess budget to spend on new tools and software. Instead, lean into what you already have in place. Are there ways you can utilize the tools you have more efficiently? Is everyone on the team using these fully already, or do you need to set expectations that everyone start using the tools you have? If you have a project management platform and internal communication tools, set best practices for how communication happens and when in each. 

Project management style 

Next, consider the project management style you as a leader have and the project system your team is using. If you are in a regulated industry and using a system like Earned Value Management (EVM), you may not be able to compromise on parts of the process. In that case, you’ll need to reallocate responsibilities among the remaining team. If you are using other styles like agile or scrum, take a look at your current set up. Are there steps, check-ins or meetings you can drop and streamline the process now that your team is smaller? You might consider if a different approach all together might make more sense for your leaner team. Just make sure that the switch wouldn’t be a massive undertaking that requires training. 

The human side 

As you work through the technical aspects, don’t forget to consider that real human feelings and concerns will be involved. Downsizing of a team, no matter the reason, is disruptive and often upsetting to the remaining employees. They may worry that they’ll be let go next, have “survivor’s guilt,” or feel frustrated with how the situation has been handled. No one likes to be blindsided and downsizing often comes as a surprise to employees. As a project manager, give your team space to air their worries and feelings. Understand that getting the team onboard with certain changes involves understanding why they are upset, and helping create a way forward that assuages their worries.  

Downsizing is rarely a “fun” situation for anyone involved. Keep your people and their needs at the forefront, and lean into what you already have in place to build a way forward. Though it can feel negative at first, with the right mindset and approach, your team can come out on the other side successfully.