According to Japan's Ministry of
Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) some 30,000 non-regular workers have
lost or are set to lose their jobs by March next year. Seeing no signs
of economic recovery taking place anytime soon, the Ministry said the
figure could even rise.
From an HR manager's perspective, the
task of overseeing employees in these trying times can be daunting. Not
only do layoffs cause staff reduction, they also threaten projects and
diminish organizational morale.
Here are some ways by which HR managers can pull the company off, if not altogether avoid staff reduction, during the slump.
1. Non-cash over cash.
2. Honesty is still the best policy.
3. Fix the feedback loop.
4. More work, more play.
5. Divide and conquer.
On the other hand, an economic
recession can be just as worrisome to an employee as it is for the
company. Unfortunately, there is no fixed rule, standard formula, or
effective mantra to guard oneself from the danger of losing one's job.
Nevertheless, here are some ways an employee may respond to the crisis.
1. Take extra work.
2. Take a pay cut.
3. Take risks.
It is said that in trying times, the
best way to survive is to remain optimistic and hope that the tides do
not swallow us up. Eventually, market forces will fall in place and the
economy will stabilize. If we can keep our heads above water until
finally the storm calms, the next step is to make the most out of it
and most importantly, keep on moving forward. --JK
For a more complete discussion about this issue, download the full white paper here.