Recession-Resilience in Business with these HR Guidelines

Human resources departments play an integral role in managing employee expectations during a downturn in the economy. Employers may be looking to scale back in a myriad of ways including cutting wage increases or conducting layoffs. Leadership will look to their HR managers to help with business continuity decisions and agility in the coming months. 

Use these HR guidelines to build resilience in your business during a recession.

Communicate Transparently and Frequently

Uncertainty will affect engagement and productivity. HR must work with the business leadership to ascertain the strategy for forging ahead and communicate the message of confidence throughout the organization. They must also inform the leaders of any concerns or feedback from the workforce.

Examine Employee Performance

HR has access to metrics related to employee performance and can help managers to make the most effective staffing decisions. These analytics will help paint a clear picture of how any layoffs would affect productivity and morale for those taking on a larger workload. 

Save Money

Existing HR tools may be redundant or no longer necessary, especially if your company has grown quickly, and could save on overhead. Another suggestion is to look for lower-cost alternatives to existing benefits and perks or do away with those that are not as popular with staff. 

Automate

Obviously, HR managers don't want to automate themselves out of a job but some level of automation may help increase efficiency. Using technology for some tasks could reduce errors, increase accuracy, create a better employee or candidate experience and increase productivity. 

Consider Employee Well-Being

Employees will be responding to the recession both at work as well as personally. HR can offer changes in compensation to help - adjusting withholding, changing benefits, reducing savings contributions - especially since bonuses will likely be cut. Continued benefits and positive company culture will go a long way in retaining good employees and maintaining morale. 

Optimize Staffing

If hiring is put on hold, consider hiring independent contractors to help with business continuity. Some employees may be better utilized in other roles and would appreciate a transfer rather than losing their jobs. Initially, the best option may be to leverage current staff in the most efficient way rather than jump to quick, painful decisions.

Most importantly, it's up to HR to help with workforce planning through an examination of metrics and processes. With a clear understanding of company objectives and these optimization guidelines, human resources departments can help build recession resilience in your business.