We’re increasingly having conversations with employers who are looking to downsize their workforce, go it alone or merge with other businesses to reduce the burden of employing people.
We spend our days helping employers navigate the minefield of laws and HR best practice, and so we know that employing people can be challenging.
Yes, there are lots of positives, such as having a great culture, working together towards a common goal as one big happy family, but what about when the going gets tough?
When the employer receives a backlash because they can’t afford to give pay rises; the leader doesn’t have the energy to deliver a motivational team event because they’ve just lost a big contract; HR is struggling to persuade someone that it is safe to return to the office when they have put 101 measures in place; or a people manager has to respond to another grievance? They are expected to do so anyway, and some of them just don’t want to anymore.
Many business owners decide to step away from directly managing people and delegate that responsibility to others, sometimes because of the internal conflict caused by balancing the needs of the business with those of its staff. They are too close to it.
It’s not just a corporate entity when it’s your own. And it’s frustrating when you feel that employees are abusing their rights, and yet you must play the role of the caring considerate employer because the odds are stacked against you. One wrong move and it can feel like they’ve got you over a barrel.
If you are an employer who is feeling a little overwhelmed by people management and considering downsizing your team, get in touch if you need a friendly ear to bend and to discuss your options.
