Wednesday, October 15, 2008

WHAT HR CAN BRING TO THE TABLE DURING TOUGH ECONOMIC TIMES

We are working through the most volatile economic conditions in history: employees are nervous about their job security and the jobs of family members and are confronting higher prices for almost every consumer good from food to tuition to health care.  There is a great deal of uncertainty on every front and even the so-called “experts” are unwilling to make predictions for the future. So what can Human Resources professionals do to bring value to their management clients and employees who may look to them for answers? First, encourage upper management to communicate clearly, truthfully and often to employees about the status of the company’s business and the future outlook. Employees hate to be left in the dark. Human Resources can help management craft a message and then repeat it often and in different ways to convey to employees that now is the time for them to be engaged in doing everything possible to be productive and to promote the company’s business objectives. Second, encourage employees to keep up their skills, knowledge, technological savvy and to stay physically and mentally fit. Employee wellness helps to prevent stress, low morale, and dips in productivity. Third, Human Resources must be sure that personnel records are in order as they may be called upon to help with retention of high-performers or plan for attrition if necessary. Finally, even in economic crises, life goes on and Human Resources must tend to the run-of-the-mill decisions that keep the company on the right side of the employment laws. Now is not a good time to be distracted by expensive and time-consuming employment litigation.