How to Make Redundancies, work for everyone

Let me confess something. When I first entered to business world the internet did not exist! When I first entered the world of recruitment it sort of existed and you could download small documents via a telephone line….very, very, slowly. Some of you will remember the sound of data being downloaded. Thankfully, the world has moved on (and so have I).

The young me was in the workplace during the early eighties, when the UK had over 3 million people unemployed and there were a lot less people on our little Island. Back then I was made redundant a couple of times and could not believe that they had chosen me! Afterall, I was young, keen, hungry, enthusiastic, and very capable, but for most companies the redundancy policy was “Last in, first out”, as this was the cheapest option.

It is now 2020 (but you know that) and most businesses are having to change to survive and then thrive. A client of ours has realised that they do not need all the staff they had prior to lockdown so are considering making some redundancies. Their question is who?

As we all know, the quality of our staff is always reflected in how others see us. Unsuitable staff = Poor company reputation.

So, the question is, do we get rid of the cheapest people to make redundant or do we keep the best ones for our future growth and profitability?

You would think that the answer is obvious, keep the best! But when cashflow is tight and we are under dis-stress, us humans do not always make the best decisions.

The most important thing is to ensure that you have the right people in the right job roles. The ones whose natural behaviours suit the behaviours needed to be both successful and happy in their role.

Equally being able to support and help those you make redundant is the right thing to do. No one means to be bad at anything. Never help old employees to bad mouth you.

Imagine that, having a company full of productive, happy, and excited employees throughout your business who share the organisations values. How good would that be?

Technology now exists that can assess how likely a success an individual will be in a specific job role and it is far more cost effective than outdated and traditional solutions. It can also assess how suitable your current staff are in their current job role and predict who are the future leaders.

When I was a Director of a Plc and ran my own recruitment business, this would have transformed my and my company’s success. It would have saved us £100.000’s. That is not a sales line, it is a fact.

Take the guesswork out of employing your staff or/and retaining the right ones whilst easily supporting those who are no longer with you.

Helping companies get the best out of their staff and retaining them is our passion. If you would like to have a chat, feel free to contact me as I love helping others.

Martyn Lax – Director.

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