Assignment 5(HRM)

Visit and identify a company website that has undergone HR downsizing. Identify the cause of downsizing and describe its processes.

Downsizing is an extremely relevant issue to organizations today in that it has become the most prevalent dilemma in recent years. The current tendency of organizations to restructure and ultimately to downsize has a major negative impact on the organizations themselves, on their
surviving and terminated employees, on the government, and on society as a whole. In fact, it is everyone's problem, and it seems to have become more the rule than the exception that it used to be in the not too distant past. The current adverse economic climate has been persistent and long-lasting. As a result, many organizations that were operating inefficiently have been driven out of business, and most of those that have survived were forced to restructure in order to streamline their operations and achieve operating cost savings that would ensure their continued competitiveness both on the local and global markets. More often than not, this meant downsizing the organization and, in many cases, the downsizing was conducted in multiple phases or on an on-going basis. The direct result on the organization was a marked drop in employee morale and productivity which prevented organizations from realizing their strategic objectives.
Beyond the organization, the overall effect of these cost-cutting measures has been the loss of a very significant number of jobs in the North American economy. Specifically, in Canada, unemployment rose in November, 1992 to 11.8%, with approximately 1.6 million Canadians unemployed.(1) In Ontario and Quebec, the numbers were 10.9% and 14.3% respectively.(2) These numbers do not include unemployed persons who: (1) have given up looking for jobs and have been transferred to the Welfare system, (2) have decided to pursue further education, or, (3) have simply decided to lower their standard of living and live on one income.

Background On Downsizing
-In the contemporary business era, where the emphasis is on cost-effectiveness and ‘lean' organizations, downsizing has emerged as a prominent activity of relieving employees from their jobs. There are several reasons due to which organizations follow the downsizing strategy.


Managing After Downsizing : A Manager's Guide to Coping With Layoffs
-Downsizing is a very personal and emotional experience for people caught up in the events. Some managers believe that those who are not dismissed will feel relieved, even grateful that they survived to keep their jobs. This might be true in some cases, where the cuts are few and widely...
*Layoff -dismissal, often temporarily, from work because a job ceases to exist or because of lack of work. Employees who are laid off may qualify for unemployment compensation.

Downsizing With Dignity
Most companies' resort to downsizing for achieving increased profitability. The organizations apply downsizing techniques by cutting down the expenses and increasing employee layoffs. However, experts suggest that an organization must recognize the real problem within the organization before going on a layoff spree. Moreover, even if an organization is determined


Top 10 Ways To Survive An HR Downsizing
In tough times, it’s not unusual for an HR downsizing to occur in many organizations. Cost pressures, lack of profitability, competitiveness issues, and organizations restructurings happen every single day and impacts thousands of people. And HR is not exempt from this ax.
Losing your job in an HR downsizing can be a traumatic experience. If the ax does drop on you, you’re likely to feel angry, discouraged and disoriented. And while these emotions are natural, it’s important that you don’t stay in that place for long.
Losing your job is just like any loss — your body and your emotions need some time to adjust to this new type of change that you’ve just experienced. It’s important that you take time to work through your thoughts and feeling and then get back on track quickly.
If you’ve lost your job or about to lose it, here’s what you can do right now, in order to get back on track quickly….
1. Realize that downsizing isn’t personal. There is a great possibility that the downsizing happened for reasons outside of your control If that’s the case then it’s important to understand that it’s not your fault or a reflection on you. You’re just getting caught in the middle of business fact of life that impacts just about everyone at some point in their career. There no one to blame.
2. Don’t take the victim mindset. Adopt the perspective that you are the same great HR person that you were before downsizing. It’s important that you take on the frame of mind that you as a person, are always bigger and more important than any job or career that you’ll ever have….and that your unique set of HR skills and experience are valuable.
3. Reach out and spend time with others in your organization, especially other HR folks, who have also been downsized. You’ll get job and career ideas from them if you stick together, network and support each other. Resist the urge to think that you’re in competition with each other. There is power in numbers.
4. Stay in touch with your HR colleagues who are still working at the company. Candidly, some may uncomfortable talking with you since you’re now moving on. However, don’t let them feel awkward and be sure to bury your own ego. The next job opening or career opportunity usually comes from someone you already know, not from an ad or a headhunter. If you’ve done a great job of building relationships and networking, don’t be surprised if you get a call from a former colleague or boss about a different opportunity.
5. Form your own Career Advisory Board of your 5-7 smartest friends and family members who know you well. Why not use this as an opportunity for getting input from people around you who care? Get together twice a week to toss around ideas for how to handle the current situation and let them challenge you to look beyond the problem and consider new possibilities. They may know you better than you do and may provide options you’ve not thought about.
6. If you need to, reduce your spending right away to give you extra time to sort things out. Don’t assume that you’ll land the right HR job immediately. Cut your personal expenses by at least 40-70%, if needed. Don’t be afraid to take brutal, even radical steps. Often, this type of self-imposed ‘jolt’ will encourage a different type of thinking, which is critical during this time for you. And, frankly, who needs the stress of worrying about money? You need to be thinking clearly at this time about your next career steps.
7. Start thinking about the kind of work that is personally rewarding to you. You may find out it’s not HR work. If you’re an HR generalist, do you want to stay a generalist? If you’re doing labor relations work, are you tired of wrestling with unions or do you want to chance your career direction entirely. Too many people are not in jobs or careers which fulfill or satisfy them. And life’s too short to suffer in silence. So, use this break as an excuse to get real selfish and discover what makes you the happiest. When you’re happy doing what you’re doing, the money will usually take care of itself.
8. Invest in strengthening your towering skills. No one else will. The HR job market is hungry for highly skilled individuals in any field – generalists, specialists, consultants, coaches, mentors, part-timers, or contractors. If you’ve got a specialized skill or natural aptitude, invest in expanding that skill and making it even stronger. The best skills take time to develop into a well-paid profession, career or business. It’s never too late to invest in your self.
9. Treat the downsizing experience like a treasure hunt where getting your next job is the prize. Get out paper and pen or jump on your laptop and begin creating a plan for yourself. Identify where you are. What resources and skills you have. Who you know who can help – consider doing anything you can do keep yourself motivated until you land the next job. Turn it into a game.
10. Get some coaching and counseling. Many firms who are downsizing provide outplacement counseling and resources. Take full advantage of this benefit.
Going through an HR downsizing can be a painful experience. However, following these ten steps can enable you to cope this trauma and quickly get your career back on track.


reference:
http://www.allbusiness.com/human-resources/workforce-management-hiring/417499-1.html
http://www.successinhr.com/human-resources-downsizing