Employers - Retain Experienced Employees Maintain Staffing Levels

Today many businesses are downsizing or what used to be called “rightsizing”. Scaling back or down, with the loss of much needed essential manpower with irreplaceable skills can be seen as almost unforgivable.

Experienced staffs not only have “time put in” but also skills that are virtually impossible to find or hire. These skills may have been obtained through specialized training either not available in the U.S. or may indeed have been obtained by multitudes of years of experience and interaction with people and other skilled workers in your chosen industry. What may well set you apart in your marketplace may be either unique products or a service , or a job done up to certain standards set at a higher bar than other in your workplace industry community or indeed overseas outsourced origin work.

It may be the situation that these workers are set for retirement shortly and all that is being done is moving up the date slightly through “early retirement “offers.

In that case these workers could well use the spent before the standard date to train replacement workers, as they will soon be retiring always and newer workers with their skills are no threat as a replacement to them. Most workers with a professional attitude will view this as a major compliment of their skillet and a major compliment to their contributions both individually and to the firm for time and efforts spent.. Have these experienced workers train new staff. If possible the date set for retirement of these experienced workers could even be set forward.

Downsizing and rightsizing through attrition , financial inducement and downright firing often seems a quick and easy answer to both cost reduction and better financial statements for year end to please both the bank and stockholders and the stock market if the company is publicly listed. This is a complete and utter fallacy for both the health of any corporation, organization or business enterprise and to any authorities or shareholders that the firm or organization has to answer to. Look at the American auto industry and its current state as a good example of this. You would think by all appearances and concerns that the business at hand of the American auto industry is to provide for great pensions and benefits to its workers, and providing extensive bonus packages to its executives. In effect a shell of a company is being left that is neither the health nor scope of the previous size and may not be in a position to pay any of these previous obligations. Indeed not only is the health of the company reduced, its profitability and in the long run the benefits promised to workers who were of long standing.

Indeed by offering hefty retirements as well as inducements to retire management is shortchanging all involved and the productivity and profitability of the firm to all involved. It is much better to keep experienced staff on hand rather than offer them retirement early. All lose.

In summary it can be said that reduction of staff levels whether by firing or early retirement packages serves neither the firm nor the employees well. It is a short sited rather than a progressive approach. Staffing levels should be maintained and experienced workers kept on.