...Solutions Assignment: Mismanaged Layoffs can go ‘Horribly Wrong’ Solutions Assignment: Mismanaged Layoffs can go ‘Horribly Wrong’ the collaboration process to dissect the article: Mismanaged Layoffs can go “Horribly Wrong.’ The team assessed the situation outlined in the article, evaluated the information through group formation, and built consensus through dialogue. By clearly defining the problems, the team was able to generate solutions, evaluate alternative answers, and has determined the best possible resolution. Recommended Solution The team has concluded that the best possible solution involves direct feedback from employees. Circumstances involving possible layoffs should revert to options offered to employees that discuss ways to improve their salaries, benefits and reduce hours at work. Employee involvement in decision making will help motivate employees. Feedback is always critical for any organization to improve employee performance. When used in conjunction with setting of goals, feedback will always provide employees with progress of improving their performance. Moreover, feedback helps to provide solutions to different kinds of problems that occur in the workplace. This is important as it helps to improve job satisfaction while helping employees to understand different kinds of dynamics. Research shows that feedback can be used as a platform where employees become engaged in activities that occur in the workplace. This is...
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...Whether it’s termination, where the employee’s job is eliminated, or a layoff, where the employee loses the job for a certain period of time, a company’s way of handling it can have consequences long after the former staffers have left the building with their person belongings. When the decision is made whether to layoff or terminate an employee some managers have not been properly trained to have the unfortunate discussion with the employee that must take place to explain the company’s overall decision. Keep in mind that the aftermath of employee terminations and layoffs also effect the surviving employees. Companies need to acknowledge that the individuals still employed may be left feeling fearful of losing their jobs and that it is important to explain the reasons for the layoffs or terminations companywide with compassion and transparency. Companies also need to remember that they have to follow and respect the law when terminating and laying off employees. Our team agrees that the problem presented in the article, “Mismanaged layoffs can go ‘horribly wrong’,” is the lack of proper management training provided by the organization and proper preparation when it comes to employee layoffs or termination. All organizations as well as management at one time or another will be or have been faced with hard decision to amplify based on what they see or recognized as the best interest for their organization and the employees that are staying on the team. Laying off employees is...
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...Re-organization and Layoff Summary PHL/320 March 31, 2016 Timothy Woods Re-organization and Layoff Summary Being the manger or the supervisor in HR that is in charge of hiring and firing people can be really tough. When doing this job many try take personal emotions out of it, but for some the thought of ending another’s career, or the means of taking care of a family could be a tough pill to swallow. In reviewing this all team, A has come to many conclusions and slowly coming up with answers to the “hard questions” that must be solved… Summarizing the Issue The issue and the matter at hand is how to deal with downsizing from an organizations perception. A company or a business must deal with the difficult task of having to let go of certain employees but the question is, how? How do they implement a strategy about letting someone go when they have to be confronted with different reactions and different personalities? Being that all situations are different, there must be a variety of strategies that can be used in the downsizing process. What is the Problem? The underlying problem is not downsizing because after all a business will do whatever they feel is best for themselves. The underlying problem is what happens after the downsizing occurs. Our group acknowledged that downsizing can have a negative effect on employees and their morale. It can also have an effect on the employees depending on the organization’s methods of handling the situation. It is...
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...and they don't live in fear," he says (“Mismanaged layoffs can go 'horribly wrong',” 2013). Managers tend to come off a little rude when terminating or laying off employees. Another solution would be consider whether or not the loss of the employee is necessary. Instead of laying off employees companies can place that employee in another section of the company that he/she has the skills to do and the position is open. Doing this allows the company to have fewer contracts or cutting wages. Managers also tend to talk too much or not talk enough which can sometimes come off to an employee as uncaring. Knowing what to say and how to say it should also be something managers should think about when having to terminate or layoff employees. Employers must also follow the law when terminating or laying off employees. Sometimes managers terminate employees based off of emotions and feelings towards that individual being laid off or terminated. Under the Canada Labor Code, which covers federal employees, an employer has to provide at least two weeks' notice in writing or two weeks wages to terminated employees after three consecutive months of employment, according to Human Resources and Skills Development Canada. Workers with at least 12 consecutive months of continuous employment also qualify for severance pay. The rules vary by province for the rest of the work force, including whether or not the employee belongs to a union. (“Mismanaged layoffs can go...
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...Re-organization and Layoff: Issue and Problem Identification Paper Team D: Keshia Simpson, Shaquia Brewer, Lamar Vargas, Lynne G. PHL/320 November 2, 2015 Professor Greg Reeves Re-organization and Layoff: Issue and Problem Identification There's always a problem in an organization that must be resolved. This paper will identify the problem, explain why this is an underlying problem, reflect on my groups collaboration process in defining the problem, and explain how a clearly defined problem can help find a solution. Collaboration Defining the Problem As we begin to collaborate on this article we tossed around several ideas of what we believe the problem is. One of the initial problems that we discussed was the lack of actual managers. It was discussed that there was not enough managers to properly manage companies, a lot of the problems were going unrecognized, and were unsolved therefore eventually leading to the company being forced to lay off due to the lack of business or other issues. After a company had been forced into layoff’s, the managers did not help the employee’s understand why. The improper handling of these issues can have a negative impact on the company overall. After we carefully examined this as an issue, we discovered that no matter how many managers a company has, the managers should be properly trained to identify issues, overcome problems, and in case of layoff’s they should be able to keep the company’s morale intact....
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...Re-organization and Layoff: Issue and Problem Identification PHL/320 Re-organization and Layoff: Issue and Problem Identification In Week Two, Team D discussed the article Mismanaged layoffs can go ‘horribly wrong’ (Bouw, 2013.) The initially chosen focus of the group discussion was the potential ramifications of poorly handling the conversation terminating the employee. Reflecting on the article through further group discussion, and realizing the scope of the team’s initial impression is limiting the problem to a small component of the larger issue, Team D asserts the broader issue is that employers often turn to downsizing as the go-to method of cutting costs. Experts in the Bouw article provide evidence that knee-jerk layoffs to appease shareholder are often a mistake and cite why. Through the collaborative process of discussion, the team benefits from gaining confidence in the decision to change the focus of issue exploration from miscommunicating when firing to the drawbacks of layoffs. By clearly defining the problem that was not immediately apparent, Team D can now concentrate on discussing practical solutions for the broader underlying issue of unnecessary downsizing. Problem Identification The first step to successfully tackling any problem is identifying it. According to Dr. Henry Hornstein, downsizing within a company should be the last resort if cost cutting is necessary (Bouw, 2013.) He hypothesizes that it is approximately a 50 percent chance...
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...Mismanaged layoffs can go 'horribly wrong’. The effect of mismanaged LAYOFFs on the remaining workforce and the effects, lack of management preparation, the human condition, and lack of mitigation strategies. We think that the problem with this article is that not enough managers or HR personal, know how to let a person go from their employment effectively. They sometimes don't realize the impact that it has on the other employees’ morale. At times, companies don't investigate to ensure downsizing will be the answer to cutting costs like they think that it will. Every HR or manager should be let go in their lifetime so that they know what it feels like. I believe that this statement holds tremendous merit because the best lessons in life are learned through personal experience. In order to adequately communicate life changing messages of sorts, it should be done by a seasoned manager. We would be surprised to learn if any company has a layoff learning path that will coach and train the management staff for the firing of an employee.. It is imperative to be sensitive to the individual being laid off as this will impact their livelihood significantly. I do agree that other options much is explored such as relocating or wage cuts before making the decision to lay off people. The Problem Layoffs create uncertainty in the workforce causing loss of productivity in remaining the remaining workforce. The article addresses that a manager's approach is paramount; we...
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...Re-organization and Layoff Team Discussion & Summary Team B PHL/320 2/23/2015 Wayne Moore Mismanaged layoffs can go 'horribly wrong.' The effect of mismanaged LAYOFFs on the remaining workforce and the effects, lack of management preparation, the human condition, and lack of mitigation strategies. We think that the problem with this article is that not enough managers or HR personal, know how to let a person go from their employment effectively. They sometimes don't realize the impact that it has on the other employees morals. Also, that sometimes companies don't take a closer look to make sure downsizing will be the answer to cutting costs like they think that it will. Every HR or manager should be let go in their lifetime so that they know what it feels like. I believe that this statement holds tremendous merit because the best lessons in life are learned through personal experience. In order to adequately communicate life changing messages of sorts, it should be done by a seasoned manager. I will be very surprised if any company has a potential layoff learning path that will coach and train the management staff for these kinds of things. It is imperative to be sensitive to the individual being laid off as this will impact their livelihood significantly. I do agree that other options much is explored such as relocating or wage cuts before making the decision to lay off people. The Problem Layoffs create uncertainty in the workforce causing loss of productivity...
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...Re-organization and Layoff: Issue and Problem Identification April 3, 2016 According to Bouw’s article (2013), she discusses the issues of improper managing and administration in the event of a company layoff. Mismanaged cutbacks begin with the Human Resources Department themselves. The article states their lack of education, training, and company knowledge, is the reasoning for these incidents. When a manager isn’t properly prepared for a cutback, it can possibly affect the company as a whole. "It's traumatic to the remaining staff - the survivors - and can create fear and resentment"- Mr. Swartz. The company needs to look at all options before they decide to do layoffs or terminate employment. The cut backs can be done in different ways other than treating an employee like they are commodities. The business problem starts with the lack of training the managers receive on how to handle a layoff in the company or termination of an employee. Termination of employees can cause negative results for the company if the management team does not handle the situation properly. Businesses do not focus on how to approach different scenarios and emotions in the event of a termination. Managers often times let their personal emotions get in the way when terminating an employee. They tend to ramble on, and sugar coat the reasoning why their decision was so hard to let them go. Managers are not being straightforward and honest with the employee. Employees that do not understand...
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...Re-Organization and Layoff: Issue and Problem Identification Paper June 29, 2015 Learning Team A PHL/320 Richard Haines Management positions are tough as it is, but how does a member of the management team handle the tough decisions that they have discovered will be the best for their company? Layoffs and downsizing are never an easy topic to tackle. How does a manager deliver this type of bad news in the most professional way? The issue that was presented in the article “Mismanaged layoffs can go horribly wrong” was companies and their management teams are not able to layoff or terminate an employee or employees in the appropriate way. The author of the article feels as management is not able to handle these types of situations in a professional manner. Members of management often have great people skills, which are either something they were born with, or something they have learned throughout their lifetime, but when faced with the challenging situation of letting an employee go they are unable to say the right things. With proper training of these tough situations, managers will be able to handle these types of situations in a more professional manner. Managers need to be able to put themselves in the employee’s shoes and speak to the employee as if they were on the other side of the conversation. Mangers should also explore every option within the company before taking the action to layoff or terminate an employee. Documentation...
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...Re-organization and Layoff: Issue and Problem Identification Team B Damairus Logan PHL/320 In any career aspect, when there are new positions, there is always some type of training involved. Whether it is something simple as cashiering or something more advanced like managing. There will always be something new to learn, most of what you need to know is taught to you through an orientation or the training. There are some things that you will learn along the journey in your new position. For managers they are not specifically trained on how to lay-off or terminate an employee. Terminating or laying off an employee is not as easy as it may seem. The employees that are being let go are human beings and they will have emotions towards the decision that was made. This can be a devastation or even leave the former employee feeling betrayed. These are all real problems, if the manager has not handled this type of situation before, the situation can turn out horribly wrong. If the managers were properly trained it could save time and money on the terminating process. It could also save the company’s reputation. If a layoff or termination goes wrong there can be bitterness towards the company and this could potentially leave both parties on bad terms. And the former employee may have animosity towards the company and their opinion can spread and potential consumers or even employers could be in jeopardy. Not to mention the threat of lawsuits and civil action. Corporates and...
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...may be beneficial for the company overall. However, it may affect the remaining employee’s morale. Some organizations changes such as layoffs, reduce work hours, a stagnate in benefits increases and rewards may result in management trying to figure out a way to motivate and gain employees trust and loyalty. Layoffs When an organization experiences a downturn in the economy, they may be force to perform employee layoffs. Organizations such as the Boeing Company announced in September 2001, that they will be cutting 10,000 jobs which is caused by the U.S. airlines to decrease operational capacity by about 20% due to traffic reductions. Airlines are expected to park older aircraft and defer deliveries of newly built transports as they trim their operational fleets (Smith B. (2001)). The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation that was founded in 1916 and is the largest exporter by value in the United States (Smith B. (2001)). This layoffs will created a shortage of aerospace jobs and has created a tough hiring environment for unemployed workers. Brockner, J. (1992) stated that “if the layoffs are mismanaged, thereby hampering survivors' productivity and morale, then the organization stands to lose a sizeable portion of the savings it hoped to achieve by introducing layoffs.” Even though employee layoffs may allow organizations to cut jobs and safeguard relationships with the existing employee this can be create a challenge to the remaining...
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...Final Exam MGMT365 July 2, 2015 Abstract The new economy has ushered in both great business opportunities and great turmoil. Not since the Industrial Revolution have the stakes of dealing with change been so high. Most traditional organizations have accepted, in theory at least, that they must either change or die. And even Internet companies such as eBay, Amazon.com, and America Online recognize that they need to manage the changes associated with rapid entrepreneurial growth. Despite some individual successes, however, change remains difficult to pull off, and few companies manage the process as well as they would like. Most of their initiatives (installing new technology, downsizing, restructuring, or trying to change corporate culture) have had low success rates. The brutal fact is that about 70% of all change initiatives fail (Beer, 2000). This paper will discuss the two change theories E and O. Final Exam Research shows that the reason for most change initiative failures is that in their rush to change their organizations, managers end up immersing themselves in an alphabet soup of initiatives. They lose focus and become mesmerized by all the advice available in print and on-line about why companies should change, what they should try to accomplish, and how they should do it (Brown, 2005). This proliferation of recommendations often leads to muddle when change is attempted. The result is that most change efforts exert a heavy toll, both human and economic. To improve the...
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...Communication Channel Scenarios Dana R Guthrie Management/MGT 521 Chris Boling August 23, 2011 Scenarios Within the following pages are responses to certain scenarios and which communication channel is best. According to Robbins and Judge (2011), “There are two main forms of communication channels; oral communication and written communication.” Within the two forms of communication channels there are 10 different types; formal reports, memos and letters, prerecorded speeches, electronic mail, online discussion groups, voicemail, live speeches, telephone conversations, video conferences, and face to face conversations. Within the following three different scenarios, I will discuss which type of communication channel works best for each and provide a defense to each of the choses. Scenario #1 ‘The character is a marketing manager for a new beverage that has done remarkable well in the United States after its introduction, especially in sports arenas such as football and basketball. The vice president of operations charged you and your team to develop a strategy for entering this new beverage into the global market. You need to take this task back to your team, provide them with the product details, and get them started as quickly as possible because they only have one week to develop a strategy.’ The best communication channel available to interact with the team would be face-to-face conversations. I say this because the team has only one week to develop a presentable...
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...Growth with Recovery: Coming Back from Company Restructuring Changes From Recovery When economic times are tough the company has to look at measures to conserve costs. Over the years, a firm’s standard response to finding itself in financial difficulty was to reduce its workforce (Gandolfi, 2008). The effects of the worst recession since the Great Depression, hurt both big and small corporations, new and old, and in many different types of industries. Major industry sector that has been hit hard are corporations that deal with consumer durables. Companies like General Motors, Johnson Controls, Ford, and Harley-Davidson. The effects of layoffs will be felt on at the companies especially General Motors who is still partially owned by the U.S. Government. Recovery is a long road for some companies that are unable to pickup and improve especially when the company cannot relinquish those ties. Responsible downsizing can benefit company in making needed changes to keep up with the economy and upturns and downturns that come with it. Restructuring must be thought out properly, “A downsizing plan should be included in the strategic management plan of all organizations, regardless of whether they plan to downsize or not. By including such a plan, the organization will be better prepared to begin the staff-reduction process should it be forced to do so in response to environmental changes” (Davis, 2003). The short-term affects involves some initial costs like severances...
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