Three things in human life are important. The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. And the third is to be kind.(Henry James)

Dear Network,

Over the past 4 months I have spoken to many of you, at different levels in the organization, in different countries and have got to hear about your professional and personal circumstances.

I am very sad to see and hear of how some companies are letting go of their employees. One of the most common trends seems to be a reduction in salary and/or being asked to take the annual leave, then a further reduction, less working hours however when asked to help on pitches – hours do not matter any longer. Then when the work is submitted, the employee gets told over a zoom call thank you, but we need to let you go now and that means shutdown of all company materials with immediate effect.

Moreover, losing your job is more challenging in this part of the world due to the lack of unemployment benefits and actual laws to avoid decrease in salary from one day to the next. Unfortunately, companies sometimes take advantage of these facts in good times and are accentuated in difficult times.

I would highly recommend that the right people, like HR who have been trained within the organization, be the ones to announce such decisions. Most of the time the employee is completely unaware, and it comes as a shock. It is never easy to announce however it needs to be done in a proper and respectful manner with several meetings explaining the process of the Redundancy/Restructuring. Thus, ensuring that the employee is made aware that there is nothing personal. 

Companies should take into consideration the possibilities of extending the coverage of both medical and visa as well as adding an extra amount to the end of service benefits. These additional actions would help support the employees during this challenging transition as they reposition themselves in the market.

I remain available to companies who need help or guidance in transitioning out employees as well as supporting those who require new Talent. 

We can ALL help the marcoms community.

Treat one the way you would want to be treated – BE KIND.

Best Nikki

Founder NS Search