It’s never fun, and it’s never ideal. However, there comes a time in some business situations when you must downsize in order to stay in business. When there is no other choice but downsizing, the process must be handled with care and consideration in order to uphold your company name, protect cut employees, and keep morale up with current employees.
While Downsizing is Never Fun, It Can be Done With Minimal Negative Blowback.
The Business Side
Ensure you have a well-established plan for your downsize. This should include exactly what departments and positions will be affected, as well as the expected recovery date or time. Your plans should have a clear plan of action to circumvent a recurrence, and a plan for laid-off employees to ensure stability. Have a business attorney examine your plan thoroughly to identify any loopholes or loose content that can be misconstrued or mistaken.
Laid Off Employees
It’s inevitable that the employees you let go will have some sense of negativity. They have served you in the position and now quite possibly feel betrayed, abandoned, or looked past. To ensure these employees don’t affect current or future morale or consensus, it’s important to have a cushion to soften the blow. This can include a severance package, assisted employment searches, or multiple other routes to help laid-off workers feel more appreciated and less left in the dirt.
Current Employees
The employees that you’re keeping shouldn’t be left out of the mix. These workers likely have feelings of uneasiness and distrust in their company at the moment. Have a plan of action that explains the downsize reasoning, process, and future plan to help ease their minds and keep up morale. Remember, these employees will decide your company’s future.
Though downsizing within a company can be rough, it doesn’t have to be the end of the world. The experts at R Moon Consulting can help you devise a plan that considers every angle to ensure that you, your company, and your employees are covered and taken care of. Call us today at (214) 382-2964 to speak with a representative about downsizing, or to find out about our other business management services.