​Many a times, when it comes to cost-cutting, organizations think of cutting down on their workforce. Assuming you had optimally planned your workforce in the first place, then reducing the people count becomes extremely counter-productive.

Typical way senior leaders approach such layoffs is by asking their directors to re-structure their own group in a way, where they are able to let go of couple of their current staff members. Directors in turn look to their managers and supervisors to select people who should stay or go! Doing this in an unstructured way, not only DOES NOT save money for the organization, but in fact, over time, it will cost you a lot more in the longer run!! Because, this typical approach has several issues associated with it!!

Remember, you had hired your current staff for a reason. If you let go of a few people, then it burdens the remaining team- which is not a sustainable solution, since over time they are sure to feel stressed out and fatigued and will probably request special medical absence, which in turn will increase your benefit costs!!

Plus many a times, managers and supervisors choose people who they would like to stay within their team, this may/not be the most productive member. In such instances, the true and total cost of down-sizing (considering severance pay and other payments) is many a times even worse than continuing with the current staff size.

In addition, overwork and low morale leads to missed timelines and unsatisfied customers! The ‘fear’ of possible job loss along with the ensuing negative feedback and angry customers, further lowers employee morale and increases emotional fatigue- finally leading to totally disengaged employees and a toxic work environment.

They become a burden on the organization either ways- if they stay, it costs the organization in lost productivity (not to mention they take all their acquired knowledge and experience with them) and if they go, then the organization needs to hire new people and spend money as well as effort to train these new entrants. 

​#workforceplanning #organizationaleffectiveness #organizationaldevelopment #humanresources #humancapitalmanagement #workforcedevelopment #laborrelations #downsizing #layoffs #workforce

​Whenever companies are trying to save on their Operating Budget, one of the first things they consider is down-sizing. So, before you consider re-structuring or down-sizing your Division, consider doing this instead…

Obtain clear understanding of what exact work each person in a certain position performs on a planned basis. Also, obtain information on typical unexpected activities they are asked to perform. Now, it is true that this becomes easy to measure when the groups in question conduct a measurable service or manufacture components which can easily be measured.

But when it comes to internal service functions such as IT, HR, Finance and so on- such clear understanding of an individual’s daily work function along with performance metrics is usually not available. Though it is not difficult to identify or measure. There are several ways in which it can be done for internal service Functional areas. 

​Sandhya Bhat MSc, CSSMBB, CSSE ​has developed several new (under patent filing) and enhanced existing strategic methodologies to improve technology and human capital utilization, produce greater ROI on investments and streamline service delivery. She is an acclaimed author, speaker, a sought after thought leader and an avid world traveler.

​#workforceplanning #saynotolayoffs #organizationaleffectiveness #humanresources #humancapitalmanagement #layoffs #downsizing #laborrelations #workforce

Today it is a global business arena- it is no longer those times where you worked with those from similar background and cultures. This does not apply to only international businesses or those that are involved in cross-border trades. Because of extensive migration of people over centuries, it is always a global workplace scenario!

After all the so-called modern-day culture of North America (USA and Canada) as well as Australia and New Zealand have had western European settlers for the past couple of centuries. Then following world war II, there was an influx of people from eastern Europe and then since then there have been settlers from several countries in Asia and the middle east.

Why this becomes important is that even though many of the original settlers consider these regions to be a reflection of their original (the first ‘migrant’) scenario- in the true timeline of that region, it is merely a way of doing things! 

At each stage of people influx, societies and cultures have shifted to accommodate the varied way of the new entrants. After the first settlement, which typically happened through invasion, the second movement of new settlers typically came in as refugees and so, the absorbing culture felt some kind of ‘superiority’ over the incoming groups. 

In the later years, the influx has been for many varied reasons including special skills, better opportunities, persecution for beliefs in their land of origin etc. But one thing is for certain- the developed regions of the world were able to advance by the contribution of all these various groups and cultures that have come into that region.

​Fortunately, in the past, there was time for the absorbing region as well as the new entrants to come to a level of true acceptance and balance.

​But, given our current global connectivity and the constant inflow and outflow of people across several regions, it seems there is no-time which exists for the absorbing region to truly assimilate the new people. This leads to apprehension and confusion. 

So, even though you may be a manager working for the local municipal government in Illinois, it is very possible that your team comprises of second and at times even third generation Americans of Chinese, Indian and Middle Eastern descent or even recent migrants from these and other regions in the world! 
​
In such a scenario typically- people resort to ‘political correctness’. Though at an apparent level it leads to cordiality of interaction, the reality remains that without genuine understanding and respect, the one whose culture is least represented in the team, is going to feel slighted and at times even bullied into adhering to the ‘societal norms’ which unfortunately are not defined in clear terms. The only definition that exists is ‘assumption’ of each person’s interpretation of what ‘real culture’ means within that region.

So, if you truly want to rise in today’s times- it is important to expand your cultural awareness. Do not view each new culture and its customs with a reference point of your own way of doing things- but genuinely make an attempt to understand what, how, why different people in the world do things in their way. 

Of course, you do not need to agree with it and you definitely do not need to imbibe that new way (though we all can always learn and grow) in your own life, but by and large at the very minimum; what is necessary is true respect- which is then reflected in your actions and interactions. 

And remember- like our workplace; our towns, our cities and our nations are ultimately made up of individuals. When we are truly aware and respectful of each other as individuals, then at some level we are contributing towards bringing true equality and balance into our society.

​Sandhya Bhat MSc, CSSMBB, CSSE has developed several new (under patent filing) and enhanced existing strategic methodologies to improve technology and human capital utilization, produce greater ROI on investments and streamline service delivery. She is an acclaimed author, speaker, a sought after thought leader and an avid world traveler.

​#globalworkplace #internationalbusiness #internationaltrade #businessacrossborders #migrantworkforce #skilledlabor #firstsettlers #immigration #sandhyabhat