News
Employment Law Update (August 2008)
Survive the downturn through Effective People Management
'Given the current economic situation, we recognise that many
employers will be faced with some tough business decisions', says
Judi Morgan, Head of Mentor Employment Law. 'Naturally, many will
be looking to cut costs and improve business efficiency; and some
may see no other alternative than to restructure, make staff
redundant or sell up altogether.'
'However, it's vitally important to speak to us first; there are
a number of actions you can take now to protect your business, and
we're here 24/7 to help.'
'For example, cutting costs doesn't necessarily mean cutting
investment or staffing levels; many businesses will actually want
to take advantage of a competitor's current weakness to grow.
Others just want to weather the storm and be in good shape when
business picks up.'
'Regardless of the situation you find yourself in, we can find a
workable solution together.'
Judi's Top Tips for Surviving the Downturn
- Cost-cutting often means looking at raw materials and energy,
but have you considered people elements like the cost of absence
and low productivity? Reducing absence and increasing employee
morale can make a real difference.
- A fundamental restructure may be a necessary but unpopular
move. Changes to working patterns and other terms and conditions
need careful handling; are you or your staff equipped to deal with
such a change?
- Redundancy should be your last resort; there are a number of
other options. Have you considered flexible working, an overtime
ban, or introducing working patterns linked to customer demand?
Perhaps an employee would welcome reduced working hours or a career
break?
'It's important to avoid a knee-jerk reaction. Regardless of the
steps you want to take, you really have to ask yourself if you have
the skills, knowledge and experience to carry your plans through
without exposing yourself to even greater risk.'
'Your first port of call should always be the Mentor Advice
Service- we can guide you through the steps you need to take. If
you have a specific task in mind, such as a redundancy programme,
we can help. No matter the problem, we're on your side.'
If you need advice on how best to manage your human
resources during the downturn, please call our Advice Service on
0870 523 8473 or speak to your Consultant direct.
Maximum call charge from a BT landline is 6p plus up to 6p per minute. Business rates and calls from other networks may vary.
If you are considering making fundamental changes to the
way your business operates, Mentor can offer a wide range of
specialist Training and Consultancy Services by way of support.
Call us today to find out more.