#sapientlayoffs

Layoffs carry a huge financial and psychological cost for both the employer and the employees. It also affects the flow of work and daily operations of an organization. So, unless and until all options have been exhausted, it is a wise decision to look for alternatives before laying employees off. Here are a few simple and easy-to-implement ideas to either defer or rescind layoffs completely.

Ask employees for solutions

Be vocal, keep the channels of communication open and ask your employees the solutions for a problem which is leading to downsizing. For example, some companies like Sapient reduce their layoffs by encouraging open forum discussions about the reasons behind downsizing and how to prevent them.

Along with suggestions about ways to cut costs and improvement in productivity, you may also ask them for problem-focused ideas. For example, if a competitor’s product is better, ask your employees about ways to cut through the competition. Involving employees during the times of crisis makes them feel an important part of the company and boost their will to help the company to beat the difficult times. On the other hand, being reticent, blaming employees for the layoffs and looking down upon them, and showing them the door without any notice or proper communication may worsen the issues. The resentful employees, in this case, may not be able to paint a positive picture of your company after they leave. This loss of reputation may compound the on-going problems in the company.

Offer another job in the company

Companies with multiple branches in different regions or countries do not lose all the business at once. It is possible that while say three out of ten branches or the units of the companies need to be shut down, the other seven are up and running. In cases such as these, retain the best employees and offer them jobs in other branches/units of your company. Retention often depends upon the feedback from managers, and sometimes these feedbacks may be biased towards a few employees. To avoid this, bodies like selection committees should be formed to determine the potential and skill-set of the employees. In case, it is a mid-sized company with multiple departments, employees can be shifted to other departments on the basis of transferable skills. This will also help save the cost of rehiring new employees.

Related Article: Getting fired Vs getting laid off

Outplacement assistance

When layoffs are unavoidable, avoid leaving your employees in the lurch at all costs. Help them find another job by connecting them to other players in the industry. A responsible organization may also take help from outplacement assistance agencies which help both the employers and the employees deal with layoffs in a more streamlined manner. An ideal outplacement assistance program allows employees at every step while they prepare to transition to a new job. Professional resume writing services, interaction with career coaches, and technical support are some of the basics of outplacement assistance.

Economic fluctuations may give rise to the need of bringing structural changes in your organization, and layoffs could be one of the options here. But, instead of directly resorting to showing the exit door to employees, companies must consider alternatives that help prioritize long-term well-being of employees.