The business world is considered to be full of incomprehensible concepts that describe essentially simple phenomena. Although this thesis cannot be accepted in general, it works well in the case of de-recruitment.
Recruitment of employees is nothing more than dismissal. However, this term is not only a euphemism for fission from work. It serves to highlight a few aspects that cannot be talked about when someone simply gets dismissed overnight:
- serves to preserve the dignity of the employee;
- it is a deliberate step, not a quick decision;
- it is a multi-stage process, not a sudden breakdown.
This is how it looks from the employer's point of view. Anna Krasnowa from the University of Lodz, researching in her work the perception of the de-recruitment process in the Lodzkie Voivodship, noticed, however, that employees perceive it rather negatively. They most often associate this process with difficulties, farewells and redundancies.
Recruitment direct is dismissal, sending the employee into retirement or leaving by agreement of the parties. Indirect is felt less personally by workers, although the effect may be the same. Here, the forced departure is determined by a change in the structure in the company, changes in the forms of employment used or a reduction in production. In that case, layoffs may not have no relation to factors directly related to the employee, such as his age or the results he achieves at work.
Recruitment of employees - what should you remember?
When it comes to golden rules of dismissal, the most important thing is the personal dismissal of the employee. Second, the process should go ahead without emotion. It should be noted here that a person who suddenly loses ground under his feet has the right to regret or bitterness, but the same cannot be said about the boss who says goodbye to him. Therefore, it is important to maintain professionalism and empathy throughout the process, even if the employee gets on his nerves for a moment.
In order to prevent crises, it is worth planning communication strategy with employees remaining in the company. It happens that the dismissal of an employee involves the employment of someone else in his place or the creation of new structures. Then it is very easy to worsen the atmosphere among employees who already guess that they will be laid off, but are not sure yet ... In such a situation, it would be good to consider the use of covert recruitment, i.e. one in which the HR agency discreetly looks for new people and says goodbye to former employees of the company . On the other hand, the overt part of the recruitment should be carried out quite quickly - prolonging the decision leads to unnecessary nerves and anxiety in the team.
Are you ready to become a better employer?
Check out our employer branding services.
Impact of recruitment on the image of the employer
Anyone who has to fire someone for the first time struggles with their thoughts. It is not only an unpleasant task. It can also have a negative impact on the image of the employer. However, it must be remembered that each company has thousands of layoffs on its account - this is a part of the functioning of the business that cannot be escaped. The impact of employee recruitment on the image of the employer does not have to be negative. Here, however, you have to distinguish employer branding and internal communication with the team.
If you actively conduct employer branding in your company, even your activities related to personal changes among employees may be received positively. Focus on the benefits of the changes for your business. Perhaps you will choose a more dynamic, diverse work environment, or you may just give up old and unproven solutions. Skilful communication of this in press releases or company materials can increase the attractiveness of employees in the eyes of employees.
In turn, in internal communication, it is worth emphasizing what are the advantages from the team's point of view. Perhaps by dismissing one person, you can save and keep production going, and thus keep the remaining jobs. Honestly emphasizing such aspects of recruitment will allow the remaining employees in the company to empathize with your situation and may further tighten their ties with the company.
Dismiss personally or with help?
In the 2009 movie "In the Clouds", George Clooney plays the role of a manager who comes to companies only to lay off employees. This ungrateful job allows the process to be carried out in a way that is unemotional and more comfortable for the employer. By the way - as in the movie - you can do it too outplacement. It consists in offering the employee opportunities outside the structure of the company. This is how it happens that retirement from drama it quickly turns into a new, fascinating possibility. Outplacement may be limited to talking about career prospects, but in some companies it also includes practical support, coaching or help in contacts with a potential employer.
In Poland, you can also benefit from assistance in this process. It is worth making a decision if the recruitment involves many employees and you would not be able to provide them with enough attention and support yourself. In smaller companies it is done rather personally. A lot also depends on whether the employee was with you for a long time or worked for several months.
Are there any pluses?
I don't think anyone likes calls during which you have to fire an employee. If there are any advantages to such an awkward situation, consider collecting opinions about yourself as an employer in the process. This will come in handy in the future, and the employee who leaves has little to lose and can speak honestly. It is worth doing this especially if you are assisted in recruitment by an external manager who does not treat the collected opinions personally. He can interview employees leaving the company or a survey and use the results to improve his image. If we can help you, check out our offer and let us know what you need.