In the January newsletter, I wrote an article about the labour market forecast in 2020. It’s like I haven´t written anything… what we are going to be dealing with is really not clear. But I dare to say that companies have already met or will meet massive dismissals in certain areas of layoffs anytime soon, and again after the „calming of the current situation.“ In both cases, it will be necessary to recognise well how many employees to keep or how many new ones to employ. What corporate activities to pursue further and which to abandon. The following is a list of activities that should be kept in mind in times of crisis by both HR managers and corporate owners and managers so that the impact on the numbers and quality of workers is minimised.
- Have a high level of distrust, mindfulness and critical thinking. Be more receptive and truer to yourself and others than ever. Analyze data and information and re-validate it continually. Because what was true yesterday may be different a few hours later in times of crisis. Act fast and take action. If you feel you need to wait for a decision in the light of developments, wait. Be careful about a situation that is undoubtedly serious, but don’t panic.
- Create a team, a crisis team from managers and leaders. Use your internal certified managers or external crisis experienced managers. The optimal composition of team members is: Team leader / crisis manager, HR manager finance director, production director, legal counsel, PR and marketing. The team needs a clear leader (giving commands, distributing tasks, gathering information, making key decisions, communicating well).
- But don’t overload efficient and reliable staff. Long-term pressure on „top ones“ can cause burnout, disillusionment and a lack of interest in the company’s next fate among the most efficient people, because they feel abused over time. The right approach is to refocus so that the company does what really matters and distributes tasks as evenly as possible.
- Your „crisis“ manager should be a subordinate example so that he does not put his own interest and benefit first. It is necessary to have a mature person, considerate and empathetic in such an oppressive situation. For it is not who is right that matters, but what the truth is. Yes, it’s a very sensitive subject… How many bosses would openly admit the fact that they reached out to the next door when choosing a manager then?
- Ensure your teams are able to pass on the information and communicate. Simply so that the right-hand knows what the left hand is doing. Recommended channels are: Company intranet, HR info centre, employee infoline, daily current info / bulletin boards / email updates,
- Give people only true and relevant information. Everyone is frustrated, you’re in the same boat. You’re adults and you don’t need to be reassured. You need a truth on which to build more plans.
- Take part-tasks for yourself and people and enjoy the part-goals that lead to great goals.
- Praise the staff and appreciate them. You are probably failing to deliver the plans as you expected in January 2020. Assure your staff that this has not been done because of the crisis, not because of their mistakes.
- Set up layoffs. Then it is essential to present a plan unequivocally to people. This will prevent internal struggles for jobs, intrigue and distraction from the job itself.
- In revitalising the business the role of HR is crucial. There is a need to motivate the remaining staff, to quickly overcome the traumas experienced. Valuable employees who left in times of crisis must be replaced.
I wish everyone that the crisis has the least impact on your business and has only a short duration. I also wish she was, in a way, a reason for the change, growth and new developments.
Lucie Sedláčková
Sources:
MSc Jaroslav the Scotsman, MBA, crisis manager
https://www.monster.cz/cz/nabor/clanky/management/udrzeni-zamestnancu/krize-a-jak-dal/
https://www.akutne.cz/res/publikace/26-crm.pdf
https://www.monster.cz/cz/nabor/clanky/management/udrzeni-zamestnancu/deset-chyb-ktere-delaji-sefove-v-krizi/
https://www.kmosek.com/krizove-rizeni-a-krizovy-management-hr/5/
