Theres No Room for Mistakes In Layoff Season - Workology

Theres No Room for Mistakes In Layoff Season - Workology Theres No Room for Mistakes In Layoff Season Yesterday we learned that Walmart will cut hundreds of jobs this month, including dozens in human resources and other corporate departments. We also learned some of the details of Boeings planned reduction in its engineering force first an invitation to  voluntary separation this Friday, January 13, and then notices of involuntary separation next Friday, January 20. Last week several retailers announced that they were going beyond letting go seasonal staff to cut permanent staff and even close stores. The Limited, after several rounds of layoffs, closed all of its remaining 250 stores on Sunday, January 8. Theres No Room for Mistakes In Layoff Season Those who work in human resources or management know that every year, from December to January, millions  of workers lose their jobs. Thats not due to deliberate cruelty but simple  business needs, as organizations make adjustments in their workforce for the new year. Millions of Americans are being hired too, during the same period. That winter layoffs are a fact of business life doesnt mean that companies can be cavalier about it rather, they should be even more diligent about making and following a layoff and termination plan that ensures everyone involved is treated with dignity. I dont have a lot of sympathy for managers dealing with accidental layoffs. While it  undoubtedly sucks for those who have to repair the brand and reassure employees that their jobs are safe, its much worse for workers who have to cope with interrupted benefits or just the terrible stress of thinking theyve been terminated, only to find out they havent. Terminations are among  the most stressful events  we deal with in adult life, along  with the death of loved ones, divorce and illness, and some dismissed workers can even pose a risk to themselves or others. But accidental terminations (and accidental benefit interruptions) are all too common. Whats frustrating about them is that they can be prevented if business leaders are diligent and if critical software is doing its job properly. The latest case of accidental, sort of termination comes from newspaper publisher  Gannett. After returning from the holiday break, a number of journalists  found a request in their inbox that they fill out their exit survey. While Gannetts system didnt terminate those employees, it generated an email implying that it had: Sorry, Gannett journalists, that your year had to start this way. pic.twitter.com/oFGPbXmgZg Romenesko (@romenesko) January 4, 2017 All accidental terminations are awful, but this is the worst time of year for these mistakes to happen, because so many workers are already watching their leaders closely for signs of impending layoffs.  Of course,  its not just your employees who are watching you carefully, recruiters and managers at your competitors are prepared to scoop up top candidates in the case of actual or accidental termination. Not only do such mistakes cause undue stress for employees (and you), theyre a great opportunity for competitors who can tout their now superior employer brand they wouldnt be so careless as to accidentally fire you right after Christmas, oh no. 50% of American workers want to  quit their jobs in 2017, or would be willing to leave if something better came up. In an increasingly candidate-driven job market, even a quickly corrected mistake  during layoff season is not one that you can afford.