We have all read about those organisations that turn to workforce redundancies to survive difficult economic times. It surprises me though, that these organisations fail to heed the learnings from the 1980s and recognise that when organisations relentlessly cut middle management, symptoms of low engagement and productivity reverberate throughout the organisation for years to come.
Being a “glass half full” person, a question from a participant at our most recent Infohrm Breakfast Event in Sydney, resonated with me. Aptly titled, ‘The Risk Resolution: from threat to opportunity’, these sessions provided the opportunity for attendees to raise current metrics and workforce planning issues they are facing as a result of the economic downturn.
The question, “When facing redundancies due to restructuring, how can high turnover be positioned positively?” is key to increasing optimism and sustaining employee trust and morale within your organisation.
Potentially, there are many ways that practitioners can restructure redundancies as a positive activity within an organisation.
For me, I am reminded of the fundamentals of workforce analytics: segment, segment, segment. Segmenting terminations, for instance, by critical job roles, business function, and performance ratings allows you to determine whether redundancies are occurring in the appropriate places. Identifying critical job roles is essential for organisations, especially when preparing for the end of the economic downturn (it won’t be here forever). Segmenting will ensure that you are not losing high performing employees and employees in high productivity and core business functions to forced organisational redundancies. As organisations prepare for the return to a healthier economy, retaining staff in critical job roles will be essential for maintaining their competitive advantage.
How is your organisation maintaining optimism during this crunch time?