When we hear the word 'redundancy' it is only natural to think of the impact on the person being made redundant, without regard for the difficulties inflicted upon the employer having to make those redundancies. Redundancy is a difficult time for all parties involved and consequently AllWestSussexJobs offers you some advice to hopefully make the situation a little easier for those on the employer's side of the fence.
Making a redundancy is never a spur of the moment decision and will often involve months of thought and consultation. Informing the employee of a redundancy should not be performed in haste either. There are a number of things to consider before meeting with the employee:
Undoubtedly your decision to make a particular employee redundant will have been made in compliance with the legal requirements. It is vital that you have your legal obligations clear in your mind so you can structure your conversation around this.
Work out exactly what you are going to say. Rehearse it through several times and be prepared to answer any questions that might be asked. This should also help you avoid any 'beating and the bush' which only prolongs the agony for the employee and heightens tension. Ensure that you have any documents you need to support your reasons for a particular employee being made redundant such as attendance records or performance reports. If you are making a number of different employees redundant then ensure you have considered each one individually and tailored your preparation accordingly.
Once you are fully prepared to speak with your employee(s) then there are a number of things to consider:
People will react in different ways when informed of being made redundant. Some will become tearful, some may become angry whilst some may seem have little reaction at all. Be prepared for these reactions and don't take it personally. Make sure you give them sufficient time to absorb the information to allow them to ask any questions they may have.
Before engaging in the conversation you should have made sure that you were fully aware of the rationale behind the decision to make them redundant. Keep this firmly in mind and do not deviate into any unnecessary personal comments. If you stick to the established reasons you will hopefully avoid saying anything which could be misconstrued or cause further upset or dispute later on.
Where possible make use of any resources available within your company to provide extra practical or emotional support to those being made redundant. Also, have details of other organisations which may be able to help such as the Citizen's Advice Bureau (see resource box below for your nearest one). Don't forget that anything you can do to 'soften the blow' will help your company appear in a more positive light as well as assuaging some of the feelings of guilt you might be left with.
Top Tip: AllWestSussexJobs offers a comprehensive CV Writing Service – you may wish to consider contacting us to work with any employees that are being made redundant.
Once the redundancies have been made there are a number of things you can do to help both your employees and yourself. It is a difficult situation and all round so consider the following:
Ask your employees about what help they might need. It may be that they need help with writing their CV or interview tips. Try asking around your contacts to see if you can find them a potential new job. You should also give them time off to attend interviews and provide them with good quality references.
Delivering bad news such as redundancy is bound to impact heavily upon you. If you are having to deliver a number then it might be worth taking a break in between but you should also take a break after. By going for a walk or for a coffee you will be able to clear your mind and be in a better position to offer the support your staff will need. You might also take this time to talk things through with your colleagues.
If you are friends with your employees it can be difficult to set that aside if you are having to make them redundant. Friendship is likely to mean that an employee is more comfortable in expressing their anger and disappointment in front of you. This in turn may accentuate the negative feelings you are already experiencing. Make sure that you still stick to the rationale behind the redundancy and steer clear of telling them anything in confidence. If you feel that your friendship will prevent you from undertaking the redundancy properly then ask a colleague to sit in or do the talking for you.
Thousands are other managers are in the same situation but that won't always necessarily make you feel any better. We often become close to the people we work with and making redundancies can feel like a betrayal. If you are finding it difficult to move and are suffering from stress or depression then you may wish to consider speaking to a counsellor (see the resource box below) or an executive coach.
The following organisations are based in, or near to West Sussex and may be able to help you with some of the issues discussed in this article - we hope you find them to be useful.
If you contact any of these organisations, please mention that you found their details on AllWestSussexJobs.com - thank you.
Could you help our visitors? To have your organisation listed here (for free) - please send us a message
Much of the advice on our website has been kindly provided by local companies and organisations for which we are very grateful - could you offer some advice to our visitors in return for some free coverage on our website? If so please get in touch here as we'd love to hear from you.
We work with experts in and around our local area to provide useful information relating to careers advice - we hope you will find these articles to be helpful. You can view our news news archive here
Once your redundancy is dealt with and any retraining has been undertaken you will probably need to find a new job. This can seem daunting, particularly if you have not had to look for a new
read moreWhen we hear the word 'redundancy' it is natural to think of the impact that it will have on the person being made redundant with out regard for the difficulties inflicted upon the employer
read moreDo you know the tax implications of receiving a redundancy package and how to avoid paying unnecessary tax? If you are going to find yourself struggling financially do you know how to lessen
read moreDo you know what redundancy package you are likely to receive? Do you know what the government stipulated minimum package is? As well as detailing the legal and financial aspects we will
read moreDo you feel like you’ve lost your identity and can’t stop feeling negative? It is not only the practicalities of redundancy that need to be addressed. Redundancy can also have a massive
read moreWe've been asking local employers for tips on what to do in an interview – and, of course, what not to do! Here are our top 10 not to do in that all-important job interview.
read moreHave you thought about a new career or improving upon the skills you currently have? In this article we will offers tips and advice on increasing your 'employability' through courses and
read moreIt's too easy to start looking in the job section of the paper and applying for everything that has an attractive salary, car or any other perks, before falling into this trap, be really
read moreWhen attending interviews it's always good to be up to date with what's happening in the local business and employment sector - we hope you'll find these selected news articles interesting
<font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="2">With so many job seekers applying for any one job in today's economic climate, it's good to have an understanding of what happens to your application once you've pressed the 'send' button.</font></font> ..read more
Your covering letter may well be the first thing potential employers see. It provides additional information on your skills, knowledge and experience and gives you the opportunity to highlight why you're the right applicant for ..read more
Despite the job market currently looking rather promising since the financial crisis, there are still cities across the country where it's much easier to find a job. ..read more
Sussex Police recently announced plans to cut jobs across the force with the aim of making huge savings and focusing on different ways of working. Jobs will be lost as a result of these changes; the Police aim to save over ..read more
Fantastic care workers took centre stage at the West Sussex Care Accolades - the county’s care ‘Oscars’ - on Wednesday. ..read more
Reasons Why You should be Looking for Jobs in Coastal West Sussex
Fears for under 30's who could face a retirement in poverty
Lloyds bank announces job cuts
Potential job losses for government based workers
Council plans over 100 job cuts in the Youth Services team
What not to do in your West Sussex job interview
Top 4 questions asked at job interviews for West Sussex job seekers
Interview Tips to help you get that perfect job in West Sussex
The Recruitment Process to Fill your West Sussex Job
How can you find the right West Sussex job for you?
What is different about looking for jobs today in West Sussex compared to 10 years ago
Covering Letter hints and tips for when applying for jobs in West Sussex
Looking for a second job in West Sussex?
University of Chichester / The Univeristy of Sussex
Public Sector jobs in West Sussex
Information on local newspapers covering West Sussex
Example CV for people applying for jobs in West Sussex
Sarah Matthews of SFM Consulting offers helpful hints an advice on why you are the best candidate for the position, and how to make the employer choose you for their new role!
read moreJohn G E Frye considers how it is we become successful, the many people we encounter along our journey and how they help along the way.
read more