Page 114 - Socially-responsible-restructuring-Effective-strategies-for-supporting-redundant-workers

Socially responsible restructuring
Effective strategies for supporting redundant workers

that, at the very least, each employee would leave the company with a worked up
CV and an updated view on where the jobs might come from.
At the same time Jobcentre Plus (the public employment service) was invited
to the site to offer their services, though the size of the job losses did not trigger
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the Rapid Response Service ( ). Their presence was more one of outlining what
JCP could offer once the employees had left the workplace and to provide
information on which benefits they might be entitled to should they be unable to
secure alternative employment immediately. Regional support came in the form
of funding for training and retraining activity for individuals that emerged from the
IAG sessions. The problem is that mainstream funding cannot cater for all the
options, especially where there is no recognised qualification outcome from the
training, and so the availability of ESF funding offers a more flexible resource.
The regional agency, the Better West Midlands Project, was invited on site to
give a presentation on the opportunities to all those affected by the job losses
and sessions were well attended.
The outplacement company maintains a continuing relationship with the
individuals it counsels and when they leave the employer they have a contact
point and support available, if needed.

6.4.5. Impact and effects
The outplacement company tries to closely monitor the progress of affected
workers, though this can become difficult once the employee leaves the site and
chooses not to stay in touch. In terms of this round of redundancies at GKN, only
eight of those losing their jobs chose not to take advantage of the IAG offered.
The following breakdown of post-employment activities applies to those who
chose to have the support and who they know about:
• found other jobs (34%);
• long-term training (12%);
• retired (12%);
• redeployed within the company (10%);
• no information available (32%).
The process of identifying staff for redundancy is transparent and the support
offered is individually centred, with specialist external services delivered on site
before employees leave. In recent cases this support has been augmented with

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( ) The Rapid Response Service helps workers during a major redundancy by enhancing
Jobcentre Plus (the public employment service) services through early intervention with the
aim of helping as many workers as possible find new jobs to start immediately when their
existing jobs end, with the support of a range of services that are not normally available to
jobseekers. One of the criteria for involvement is that there must be a partnership approach to
the proposed package of support involving (as appropriate to each situation) trade unions,
regional development agencies, local authorities, training agencies, etc.

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