Prior to redundancy becoming a reality there will have possibly been months of negotiation and preparation between Management and Unions to get the correct balance required in the fairest possible way.
During this period the workforce will have been made aware at some stage in the negotiations of the Employer’s intentions, but not of the actual outcomes until the deal is finalised. This uncertainty can create anxiety and unrest within the workforce which you as a manager will need to manage in a positive way to ensure that business as usual continues to flow uninterrupted. This can be a stressful process for both yourself and your employees. Your regular Team Briefings may be a good forum to update and take questions rather than speaking to individuals covering the same information several times a day.
Your HR department will be involved in any re-structuring or change process and should update and inform you of Company Policy whilst the negotiations are ongoing with timely briefings where possible to allay rumours which can often be incorrect and lead to increased anxiety. Additionally your Company may offer Redundancy Workshops for employees which will help to prepare individuals for leaving the business. These Workshops can include interview skills and techniques, CV writing techniques and possible leads or information on a different career path.
As with Age Retirement you will be aware that your employees will be experiencing a range of reactions to the possibility of losing their job. Some fear for their jobs and their future while others see it as an opportunity to move onto other things with a lump sum to ease the changes necessary. Until things are finalised though the criteria for actual redundancy will not be known and disappointment or relief can follow from this time. Once decisions are announced this can be another very difficult time – disappointment perhaps for those wanting to leave but not fitting the criteria or disappointment for those wanting to stay but who now must plan to leave. This can lead to tension and resentment between colleagues when being offered the ‘package’.
At such times it is possible that employees start to take things personally; it is important that you do not take this on board and remind them it is the Company in negotiation with the Union who have decided the policy for redundancy and not you personally. Of course the redundancy package may also include Management redundancies and this may affect you personally putting you in a similar position to your employees. Managing your own feelings combined with the responsibility for dealing with your employees can become very stressful; if this is the case you should discuss with your manager.
For all concerned it will be a very unsettling time. Survivor guilt can be common as those left behind struggle with feelings of guilt that they have been selected to stay on whilst colleagues
have left. And it is not just a case of shedding jobs; it may also involve a move from a familiar workplace into new premises or already established premises. This will no doubt mean working with different people either moving into ‘their space’ or all employees moving into a new building. Either way it can create difficulties especially with those employees who find change a problem to manage. It may be of course that employees leave and colleagues need to pick up and share the work formally done by those colleagues, this could cause resentment especially if someone wanting redundancy is in this position. Sensitive and understanding management is required.
Do remember to use your HR and Manager to discuss concerns and Policy.
