You've been forced to lay off perfectly fine IT employees and you have had to ask the remaining staff to pick up their load. Times are uncertain for everyone. It's essential to maintain a good work environment even though your employees are frazzled and bracing for more bad news.

CIO.com has some tips for keeping your employees on track from Sylvia Lafair, author of "Don't Bring It to Work: Breaking the family patterns that limit Success":

• As a manager, learn the warning signs that old survival patterns have taken over. Be on alert for destructive behavior.
• Allow your employees to talk about their economic fears.
• Don't encourage a "stiff upper lip" culture. It's never good to let employees stay quiet and seethe inside.

For more on office psychology in a recession:
- check out this CIO.com article

Related Articles:
How CIOs can survive this downturn
Stay focused when times get tough
The danger of being a 'nice guy' at work
Toot your own horn