Have you had to cut jobs for functions that can no longer be supported? You can do right by your laid-off employees by offering them outplacement services, which may help your remaining staff feel more secure in their positions.
Communications are important to maintain the morale of retained employees and the goodwill of the discharged, who may come back. Workers appreciate a clear statement as to why they’re being terminated and like to have as much notice as possible. Early notice may actually improve productivity during the period employees anticipate layoffs due to feelings of uncertainty. Let your workers know that you intend to provide help for those you’re laying off.
Outplacement services from employment outsourcing agencies include:
- How to file for unemployment benefits.
- Counseling to help prepare good resumes.
- Providing leads and contacts.
- Preparing letters of recommendation.
- Reminding workers that you’re happy to act as a reference.
Consider other options
Maybe you shun the whole idea of downsizing your productive workforce due to economic downturns. Here are some other ways to deal with a downturn:
- Cross-training employees to be able to shift from job to job.
- Reducing hours to share common hardships.
- Implementing hiring and wage freezes.
- Postponing wage increases.
- Decreasing fringe benefits.
- Offering incentives for early retirement.
Whatever strategies you choose, know that outsourcing some business functions like office management is always an option. Outsourcing can reduce costs by allowing you to pay for only the services you need and avoid many of the overhead costs related to bringing on additional employees.
By outsourcing, you’ll have support when you need it, including providing coverage during gaps and on demand with team members who follow your existing processes, as well as helping with managing email, social media and customer onboarding.
The team structure of outsourcing means increasing or decreasing the number of people and the time spent on projects: You pay only for the services needed and not for unproductive time.
Outsourcing scales with your business as it changes
Outsourcing can mean bringing in a team of experts in their respective fields. By using the latest technologies and practices, they can work faster, cheaper and with fewer resources, adjusting to the changing needs of your business. At the end of the day, what is right for you? Give us a call so we can help you figure out what your next step should be.
