HR Training 2020 - Preparing for a Reduction in Your Workforce

Overview:
The circumstances surrounding the Coronavirus (COVID-19) are continuing to develop hourly (let alone daily), and with the rapid-fire nature of modern media and social media channels, details vary from broadcast to broadcast, leaving many in the workforce in confusion and fear.
Most are confused about the next steps they should take, either paralysed by fear, worried about their future or in the shock and denial phase of the crisis.
Having a plan is the best course of action for any business, however for many, especially those who have not implemented crisis management plans in the past, we are entering new territory.
The pandemic is creating a constantly changing national condition which has employers feeling the pressure and unfortunately due to the overload of news and information (often contradicting itself) leaders are running the risk of being ambitious in their communication and actions with employees.
Ambiguity leads to confusion and creates more uncertainty and fear. This is something we all need to avoid. Thankfully, there are steps employers can take to prepare their workforce, encourage certain behaviors and manage the business environment effectively, so employees can continue to remain engaged and reduce the risk of panic and concern.
These steps are the basis of crisis management and often seem commonsense, however, in a crisis it is more difficult to remain calm and think or behave in a considered way. It is vital for HR professionals that reasonable practices are established and followed, plans put in place and implemented, and most importantly, any action taken has been thoroughly understood, investigated, checked and measured in order to avoid longer term damage to the business.
Every day the boundaries and goal-posts are moving, so it is vitally important that leaders in industry, business and human resources are kept as up to date as possible to avoid generating fear, adding to the confusion or creating workplace dysfunction. We need to know all we can in order to adapt, innovate and implement new ways of operating during a crisis.
This is why clear communication, accurate information and considered action are required.
Why you should Attend:
If you are in a leadership position, experienced in HR or new to the Human Resources field, have employees or have a concern about how you will manage your people through crisis, or are a small business owner without a dedicated HR person on staff who's knowledgeable and/or educated in the field of human resources. this presentation will help you to:
Understand due diligence and where the risks are and how to avert them
Discussing options, appraisals and criteria for a selection processes or strategy for a reduction in your workforce
Review your communication and methodology for implementing a reduced workforce to ensure you have a sustainable plan in place for this crisis and the future
Understand the issues around laying off full time and part time employees, requesting staff to take time off or reducing their work hours
Considerations when establishing a hiring or wage freeze or reducing wages
Assist you to understand the ramifications of shutdowns or work furloughs
Manage a reduced workforce process including documenting valid reasons for the reduction and what you need to ensure is completed before you take action
Understand compliance and the periods required for warnings of closures, layoffs or reduction in wages or hours
Clarity on your responsibilities, agreements and employment contracts before you implement reductions and severances
Managing HR is about mitigating risk, reducing conflict and pre-empting issues. The trouble right now is that there is an overwhelming amount of information, and conflicting directives from multiple sources.
Because Brenda is monitoring the situation constantly and can apply her years of experience to the scenarios playing out, this presentation is vital for you to stay ahead of the changes and to ensure your workplace is proactively managing expectations, communication and function.
As a result of the training you will be better equipped to make decisions regarding the reduction of your workforce, and be able to lead, or assist leaders in the business, and to prepare the business for ongoing change.