HR Strategy

Shifts in the economy are a fact of life. But managers and HR professionals are often forced into recommending layoffs during economic downturns because for months they have procrastinated and put off taking the appropriate preventative measures. As a layoff strategist, I recommend a forward-looking approach aimed at minimizing the …

Few firms really know how to do layoffs right, and unfortunately, there really aren’t any “how-to” books or seminars on layoffs. But taking the right actions couldn’t be more crucial during this sensitive process, and as a layoff strategist, I recommend a structured approach to ensure this happens. If you’re …

Layoffs are coming…layoffs are coming. We all know that it’s true, but few firms really want to confront the layoff issue until it’s too late. When they do start, most firms don’t really know how to do them right or when to begin layoff planning. I’m secretly a layoff strategist …

It might seem insensitive, given the recent tragic deaths in New York and Washington, but it’s not. If you take a step back and think about it, in a time of war we all need to act like “Rosie the Riveter” and get back to work in order to rebuild …

Although recent terrorist events may have occurred thousands of miles away from you, there are many potential people-related problems that may still occur at your location. Strategic HR people need to react quickly to business problems and managers need to realize that uncertainty and inaction can actually increase anxiety, so …

In times of tight budgets and low growth, managers need to think twice before hiring more staff. Hiring people is expensive, time consuming, and even a bit risky if you later find out that you don’t really need more employees. Smart managers consider the alternatives that are available to increase …

Any savvy recruiter is well aware of the economic downturn that is facing most industries today. If that downturn has not yet affected your job as a recruiter, let me assure you that soon it will. Where I work in the Silicon Valley, the wave of recruiter layoffs is well …

I’m often asked, who are the “visionaries and thought leaders” in employment? In most professions, identifying the leaders is relatively easy. But it?s not that easy in recruiting. I have found after over 30 years in employment that we are a unique profession. Employment has no official “father or mother,” …

It’s amazing that only one company I know, Cisco, requires rigorous internal recruiter training before a recruiter can start recruiting. Most firms use a “throw them out there and see what happens” approach. If your newly hired recruiter has a background in executive search or sales you are probably OK. …

One of the primary questions in the minds of candidates is “Where will I be two years from now?” Unfortunately, most recruiters and managers respond to that question with meaningless generalities like, “You’ll have lots of opportunities.” In fact, what candidates actually want is a realistic preview of where they …