There is never a perfect time to
hear the disappointing news of the loss of one’s job and ultimately the loss of
income. In the trying economic circumstances with which we are faced the words retrenchment,
restructuring and downsizing have all been used to placate harsh news delivered
to employees almost on a weekly basis.
Whether in the private sector, civil
society or the public sector job cuts have been the order of the day no matter
the size of the organisation. It is acknowledged that things cannot remain the
same with the ripple effect of declining revenue. However the manner in which
downsizing and restructuring have been ongoing is certainly a cause for
concern.
There is no shortage of press
coverage highlighting irate workers and union leaders voicing their displeasure
at the manner in which dismissals have been undertaken. From letters delivered
while on vacation, early morning calls not to report to work, locked office
doors and dismissals in the middle of union negotiations; workers have been
having a torrid time.
Being treated in this manner by
an employer is understandably heartbreaking particularly for those who may have
been with an organisation for ten years or more and have given of their best
effort in whatever position they held. Not only is the emotional attachment
severed but there is also disruption to other aspects of their lives.
Many of these persons will have
dependents; children still in school or elderly parents who may need to be
taken care of. There may also be mortgage or car payments, groceries and of
course utilities to be paid. Barbados is still a society comprised primarily of
single parent households. The majority of such households are headed by
females. In light of the current retrenchments we can safely assume that women
are more likely to be affected than men and will find it more difficult to
become re-employed. With all the various responsibilities of a typical single
parent household and suddenly being thrown into a state of unemployment, one
can easily imagine the emotional distress of many single mothers across our
country.
The way in which restructuring
has been carried out in some sectors has certainly been anything but humane. It
raises the question as to whether our society and its institutions are really as
caring and compassionate as we make them out to be. One social commentator giving
his views on the issues noted that there is no easy way to tell an employee
that he or she will be let go. The commentator also noted that the employer has
to take into consideration the possibility of retaliation such as physical
harm, damage to the equipment and property and the destruction of critical
information and documents if advanced notice is given.
In my estimation, while an
employee is not likely to express joy on hearing of job loss, he or she is
certainly less likely to react in an expressly negative manner if that loss
comes with a human touch to it. In many circumstances persons are hired through
an interview process and go through an orientation process with management and
human resource personnel before assuming their duties. If the process coming in
requires such formalities then going out should also have a human touch to it, particularly
where an employee has been dismissed not due to underperformance but the need
to restructure.
Retrenching an employee with
simply a piece of paper stating that his or her services are no longer required
makes it appear as though some invisible hand has intervened and decided that
person’s fate. Such an approach leaves a lasting impression on the former
employees, on the general public and certainly on those who remain with that
organisation.
For the employees retrenched,
trust is broken and there is a feeling of betrayal or what some in management
may refer to as a break in the psychological contract between employer and
employee. For those employees still within in the organisation there is every
possibility that they will become distrustful of committing their time and energy
to the organisation having seen the treatment of their colleagues. As is
currently the case in many organisations, the remaining employees will be
expected to undertake additional duties with greater pressure exerted on them
to produce without commensurate adjustments in pay while operating in a climate
of uncertainty.
Our late Prime Minister often
stated that Barbados is more than an economy it is a society. With the plethora
of management professionals, management textbooks, courses available at our
institutions of higher learning and unlimited seminars, our country should be
better equipped to manage the process of downsizing across the various sectors.
We must remember that the
retrenched worker is also a mother, a father, a daughter, a son, a potential
customer, voter, and future employee within the society. In a small society
such as ours it would not take much for lower morale to impact productivity,
profitability and any other indicators of economic growth. Our people must be
treated as human beings and not merely as economic or financial statistics. The
current situation calls for greater emotional intelligence and for a greater
sense of dignity to be accorded to our ordinary workers especially in
circumstances where they are to be relieved of their jobs.
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