Page 168 - Socially-responsible-restructuring-Effective-strategies-for-supporting-redundant-workers

Socially responsible restructuring
Effective strategies for supporting redundant workers

6.16.6. Innovation and effectiveness
The company is a relatively self-contained operation and so much of its efforts in
the phased closure period will be focused on helping individual members of staff
rather than taking into account any wider community or social objectives.
The long period of the phased rundown of the plant is being used by the
employer to develop an array of support activities for the displaced staff. In
particular, it has recognised the importance of giving staff recognition of their
experience in production manufacturing that has some currency in the external
labour market. The NVQ approach available in the UK generally, allows the
recognition of this experience though it does need time to be able to accumulate
the information necessary for the qualifications portfolio and to fill any obvious
gaps with training. This has been supplemented by internal training in basic IT
skills for those that need them and health and safety certification; all will be
potentially helpful in the labour market.
The company has also engaged the external agencies as early as possible to
start the support programme, There is a mix of a private outplacement provider
(paid for by the company) and public sector providers in the form of Jobcentre
Plus, Careers Wales and the Department for Work and Pensions, with some
funding directly available through the Welsh ReAct scheme. It makes for a strong
mix of support services, though with the added requirement that the company
must try to manage the different agencies so that services complement each
other rather than compete. So far, this appears to be working satisfactorily.

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