I think there must be a book out there something like ” layoffs made easy” or “Rightsizing Counseling for dummies” ….
Its not easy to tell someone that they are not going to have a job anymore, let alone the fact they have probably worked for the company for 2 or 3 years etc.
Ones has to do what one has to do. The least HR personnel can do is to make it professional and compassionate …. so we are Change Managers. Nothing to laugh about I guess.
In today’s times with rapid and unpredictable economic changes in the market due to the COVID-19 pandemic many companies have had to lay off people. All the way from senior management to custodial staff no one has been safe. If the layoffs were not bad enough the vacancies in the market also form an appalling situation.
While under normal market circumstances an HR professional can expect the person being released to find another job soon, in the current situation that is highly unlikely.
Balancing the organizational and employee priorities is tough. Which generally beings me to the point that we as HR professionals have a thankless job 🙂