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News for friends of the Iowa Lee Hecht Harrison Global Partner office. |
WINTER 2005 |
With the new year underway, many companies are optimistic about their prospects for growth. But even in the best of times companies should be concerned that their severance and separation benefits are competitive. Doing so not only provides necessary resources for those in transition, but also preserves the company's good standing with current and potential employees. Research shows a strong correlation between how organizations treat those employees being let go and how successful they are at maintaining and attracting the talent they need to carry them forward. The 2005 Lee Hecht Harrison Severance and Separation Benefits: Benchmark for Evaluating Your Policies report is available. We'd be happy to drop by a copy.
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Downsizing Damage Control There are many reasons why an organization may need to reduce the number of employees in the current business environment - mergers and acquisitions, outsourcing key operations, and eliminating less-than-optimal business lines are just a few. However, at the heart of any reduction in force decision is the need to remain financially viable and competitive both now and in the future. The choices you make can seriously impact your company's reputation and profitability in the future. You need cost-effective solutions, but be wary of making your evaluation based purely on price. With that in mind, here are some criteria you should consider when choosing an outplacement services provider: - Business Background. Look for a company with solid business experience and a proven track record. Be sure that the people who will service your account have experience working in the business world.
- Service. Your employees are all business people; therefore, it makes sense that the outplacement package you purchase should be based on project management principles, like milestones, team meetings, and individual accountability.
- Notification Training. A good outplacement provider can help managers craft both the specific message and the tone in which news of the reduction should be delivered. Notification training ensures that all managers follow the same process and have the opportunity to ask questions before, rather than during, the event.
- Leadership Development. After a layoff, business doesn't slow down to accommodate the smaller workforce. Instead, organizations must quickly regroup, re-identify themselves, shift key management roles, and find new ways to move forward. An outplacement provider should be able to work with individuals and management teams within an organization to help them assimilate into the new corporate structure and develop key leadership competencies.
Taking the time to choose the right services now will pay off in the long run - by protecting your company's reputation, preventing unnecessary litigation, and reassuring the employees who remain behind that you care about them and their former colleagues.We are proud to announce the redesign and launch of our website www.CRGpros.com. Please take a few minutes to rediscover how we can be a solution to your career life cycle needs. CRG Lee Hecht Harrison provides services that:- connect people to work
- increase career effectiveness
- develop superior leaders
- enhance human resources effectiveness
If you have suggestions to improve the website, please e-mail Carrie Taycher at ctaycher@crgpros.com. We appreciate your feedback. |
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Take Sting Out Of Downsizing While downsizing is always a traumatic event, there are actions organizations should take to mitigate the negative impact.- Track employee skills and consider redeployment.
- Communicate why the downsizing is both necessary and good for the organization.
- Act quickly once job cuts have been announced. Organizations that do not implement cuts quickly lose credibility with employees.
- Support the managers delivering the message. This is a stressful job and managers responsible for termination notifications are at significant risk of leaving if training and support are not in place.
Re-engineer the work that remains. Cutting staff without having a strategy for getting the work done leads to decreased productivity, low morale, and often the need to refill eliminated positions. |
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| One of the most difficult challenges executives face when starting a new position is the task of developing and implementing their own corporate strategy. What's the best timing to implement this strategy once they arrive at a new company? Executives differ in their responses to this question, according to an informal survey by Lee Hecht Harrison, but all agree that timing is key. Sherry Barrett, VP and Senior Consultant at CRG Lee Hecht Harrison, advises executives who are just starting new positions not to rush to implement their strategy. "It's really important for executives to get grounded before making changes, so they don't make the wrong ones," says Barrett. In addition, she highlights some common practices executives can be aware of when implementing their strategy: - Keep the strategy, the reality and the talent issues connected. Analyze the issues they will be facing, develop a compelling corporate strategy and ensure they have the political support and talent they need to implement the strategy.
| - Stay highly visible and communicate. Employees need to see the executive to feel comfortable with him or her, so it's important for them to circulate at all levels in the organization.
- Stay focused on high impact tactics, long term solutions. Remember that there are no quick-fix solutions in today's business world, but everyone needs to see that you are moving forward.
- Be realistic in what you and the organization can accomplish. Prioritize goals and do not over promise, because that inspires people and sets them up for disappointment when promises are not met.
- Assess the skills and behaviors of key contributors throughout the organization. Know where your dependable resources are. Redeploying personnel to develop or maximize their strengths is just good business and creates loyalty.
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