Letting people go
There is no point in trying to be positive over making people redundant. It’s simply rubbish.
I get excited about advances in technology, progress and how it helps with productivity. The downside is that jobs and processes are changed which often means job losses.
Obviously staff have protection under law and businesses that do not respect their staff will inevitably fail in the medium term.
However, no business exists to create jobs for people.
Job creation schemes are for local councils and public sector bodies.
A business needs to make a profit. Making a profit is challenging and it is the primary aim of any employee to buy in and help that fundamental aim.
However these are only the first steps. Over time businesses will have cultivated loyalty from colleagues and also want to help their colleagues when things become difficult for them at different times of their lives.
However this is a two way street. A business may need resourcing but your people should want to work with you.
Treat robots like robots and people like people.
This is why your recruitment is fundamental. You need new members to your team to buy in to your business ethos and add value.
What does AI have to say about letting people go?
The prompt: 'What steps does a business in the UK need to do before making someone redundant?'
Chatgpt response: 'Before making someone redundant in the UK, a business typically needs to follow a fair and legally compliant process. This generally involves consulting with employees, exploring alternative options, and providing appropriate notice. It’s crucial to adhere to employment laws and consider individual circumstances. Consulting with a legal professional or HR expert is advisable for specific guidance tailored to your situation.'
That‘s all very basic. Alternative options can be wide and complex.
It is not any toxic employees who are the problem here. It will be those wonderful, loyal employees that have added value to your business for years where the deep thinking needs to be.
A toxic employee is not someone that a manager does not like. A toxic employee actively undermines management and the business plan. They will destabilise your team and ultimately believe that the business is doing them a favour. You may want to consider how your business has propagated such colleagues. Was it a fault in recruitment or an environmental issue over time?
The vast majority of staff will be good and it is here that every business looking at a loss of turnover, an increase in costs and potentially a loss will need to consider every option when letting good people go.
In conclusion, business is always about change. Letting people go is more than the legalities of redundancy and following due progress. This just has to happen.
As a business leader, the questions you need to be asking are:
- What happened before?
- What is happening now?
- What will your business look like in the future?
If you get caught up in the past your business will fail. If you get tangled up in day-to-day changes you may miss the opportunity to be the best versions of yourselves. If you concentrate purely on the future you may not learn from the past.
You should not be recruiting for the short term. Your people should be your priority below driving turnover, keeping a tight control over costs and making a profit.
If you are considering letting people go, you need to have a plan, have exhausted all your options and most of all be sure you are making good decisions.
