For two companies to merge, leaders of both organizations have to put tremendous effort into orchestrating the details of the deal. But the work doesn’t stop once the agreement is signed. In fact, the most important work comes afterwards, in what is known as post-merger integration.  What Is a Post-Merger Integration? Post-merger integration (PMI) is the nuanced process that takes place after two large companies agree to combine their resources and begin operating as one entity. For example, the new company may need to eliminate redundant or competing positions or reorganize teams. Fo ..read more

Communicating a layoff is often a complex process. Many questions have to be answered before the news even goes out: Should you send out an email notice to all employees, or create personalized notices just for the affected employees? Should you send out the notice well in advance, or break the bad news on the day of the layoff event? To make things more confusing, different types of layoff-related communications are often referred to by similar or even identical names. For example, the terms layoff notice, layoff memo, and layoff letter are sometimes used interchangeably by HR professionals ..read more

When an organization goes through a downsizing, HR professionals need to manage many big and small details, all while treating laid-off employees with dignity and compassion and communicating positively with retained employees. Creating a reduction in force template well before a layoff event can help make the process go as smoothly as possible. A reduction in force template outlines policies and timelines to follow, so that should your organization ever need to conduct a layoff, you’re well prepared to manage the event. Follow these steps to create and use a reduction in force template. &nbs ..read more

When organizations go through a restructuring, departments are often merged, whittled down, or eliminated altogether, leading to layoffs. As an HR professional, you play a key part in the layoff process. In addition to taking care of the logistics of layoff meetings and preparing severance packages for affected employees, you also need to help determine how to decide whom to lay off. Selecting which people to let go from an organization is a very difficult task. No matter how necessary a reduction in force may be for the long-term health of your company, telling colleagues they no l ..read more

While mergers often make great business sense, they also bring up fears about pending layoffs for employees. Those fears aren’t unfounded and you may find yourself managing layoffs during a merger. Harvard Business Review reports “on average, roughly 30% of employees are deemed redundant after a merger or acquisition in the same industry.” As an HR professional, should your company go through a merger, you’ll likely be one of the key people responsible for juggling the many different duties that come with managing layoffs and downsizing—from following legal guidelines to providing a ..read more

When the nation’s job vacancies seemingly outnumber those unemployed, outplacement can be perceived as an unnecessary benefit. So is outplacement worth it? Its importance depends on what your company hopes to get out of offering it as a part of severance. Is Outplacement Worth It? Answer These Questions to Find Out. Do you want to retain your remaining workforce? Layoffs can have a devastating effect on employee morale and corporate culture. When workers witness their colleagues lose their jobs, they can experience survivors’ guilt and also worry about their own job security. Organizations go ..read more

Even if your business is mostly concerned with finding talent at the moment, know this: your offboarding process—or lack thereof—can harm your efforts if not handled properly. That’s right: your departing employees, whether leaving of their own volition or due to a layoff or termination, can impact your ability to attract quality employees, earn new business, and retain both.  Unsure of what you might be doing wrong? Read on. If any of these offboarding mistakes sound familiar, you may want to rectify them. 3 Costly Offboarding Mistakes 1. Lacking a formal offboarding process Using diffe ..read more

Due to changes in shopping habits, overhiring, poor growth predictions, economic conditions, and other direct and indirect forces, retail layoffs have been spreading through the industry, from online shops to big box stores. The layoffs have affected corporate positions as well as store employees as locations shutter, sales slow, and organizations attempt to manage rising expenses. If you are a retailer facing marketplace challenges, you might have to reduce your workforce in order to survive. But how can you protect your brand when you announce retail store layoffs? Below are three ways re ..read more

In the wake of widespread layoffs, many organizations are promoting employees to managerial positions to fill the gaps left by those who have been let go. However, while this may seem like a quick solution, the reality is that many of these newly-minted managers are unprepared for the challenges they will face. And at a time when many employees may be overburdened, the last thing they need is to be in a situation that creates more work. In this blog post, we will explore why first-time manager training is essential and how it can be provided.  Managers Require Certain Skills The role of ..read more

While reductions-in-force (RIFs), layoffs, and furloughs are all difficult actions employers take out of necessity based on business performance or shifting priorities, there are differences between them (in addition to terminations based on individual performance or conduct) that are important for both employees and employers to be aware of, and you may be surprised by the distinctions.  Much confusion exists around the term “layoff,” which is often misused in place of “reduction in force.” But there is a stark difference: a layoff is intended to be a temporary elimination of a position ..read more