Making the Right Choice
When a layoff becomes necessary, how do you decide which employees to let go? What factors are addressed and why?
I believe that may depend on a lot of factors, companies mission, is this a long or short tem fix, what are the strategic plans moving forward and what employees bring the most to get the company where it needs to move.
I would have to consider the future mission of the company to choose the right employee who brings the most to the team and it’s future. I want someone who believes in what the company is doing and how they can support the new vision.
I would also consider the employee’s ability to change and how flexible they are with the future plans. I would want someone capability of making changes and moving forward without dwelling on how things used to be.
I would also look at sustained superior performance since the employee has been a part of the team or company. I would want the type of person who is a self-starter and solid contributor to the team’s efforts.
It is always difficutlt deciding who to let go during a layoff. The most important thing is to think of the business need and do your best to keep emotions out of the decision. If you make honest, business oriented decisions, all parties involved will feel a lot better after the event takes place. The remaining employees' moral will be in a much better place if they feel that the reducion was handled professionally and was not decided by the "good ole boy" club.
Certainly one of the first things to be determined is what department(s) is over-staffed and would be least affected by the lay-off. Once this determination is made, I believe a number of factors should be considered. Over-all employee performance is a part of the determining factor, but not the only one. Contribution to the team, attitude, dependability, among others, should be considered. If forced to lose staff, I would want to ensure that what remained of my staff would be the most productive and forward-moving as possible.
Hi James, well thought out! Employee performance captures so many different aspects!
Jay Hollowell
You are correct about your statement when it comes to the good old boy club. I have been there. It is best to make all decisions on who is going to be part of the layoff by using company supported and approved criteria. But, I say to my self, what is the right choice? This is where you want to put away your emotions and feelings and follow company policies. That is the right choice.
I don’t think you eliminate employees, you eliminate roles. As mentioned in the course material, at times, and in cases where there may be a number of positions with the same job title, factors such as success in the role, flexibility, and ability to adapt and be a part of supporting the team could be valid factors in such a tough decision. Based on those, and other factors, certain roles or positions would be eliminated. In my opinion, and as shared in the video short in the material, it becomes much tougher when dealing with a high performing team.
