Redundancy Survivors
2nd March 2009
I have seen it from both perspectives. In the 1980’s I was made redundant three times and this left me lacking on confidence and formed a resilience streak in my character which has proved to be ideal for the businesses I went on to set up. From the other side of the fence, I have coached companies through the non process side of redundancies and through the rebuilding on the other side.
So what can I share with you? The key thing to remember is that communication is critical. Remaining workers go through the change cycle of denial, depression, realisation, understanding and increased motivation. It is not an easy time, because different team members will progress through this cycle at a different pace. I have found it is good to talk to groups about ‘process’ and policy moving forward, and to individuals in an individual way about where they fit in and your expectations.
One of the key hotspots for anxiety is "Who is going to do all this work, now there are less of us?" New job roles need to be clearly defined early on and extra tasks need to be highlighted in an open and honest way. Talk to staff about support and training they may need to make this transition and how you will be monitoring how it is working.
Many companies are so wrapped up in the legal aspects of the process of consultation for ‘at risk’ roles that they forget with the survivors that they will still need consultation. This is not a formal process, but is more about treating all your staff as if you value them. Involving them in the decision making process in shaping new roles and moving forward will help them to understanding your future vision.
Finally - you do need to treat the outgoing staff well. They talk to the survivors, they talk to your customers and competitors AND if things turn around, you may want them back! Keep that door open.
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