Page 175 - Socially-responsible-restructuring-Effective-strategies-for-supporting-redundant-workers

Socially responsible restructuring
Effective strategies for supporting redundant workers

In compliance-driven adjustment, the enterprise focus is on ensuring that its
provisions for lay-offs meet national statutory and sectoral requirements. Support
to redundant workers rarely goes beyond minimum requirements. Job protection
methods are unlikely to be involved, rarely involving guidance-related support.
Instead the emphasis will be on appropriate notification processes and probably
minimum levels of compensation, and any required referral to public agencies.
‘Compliance plus’ adjustment may go a little further in compensation or
support arrangements, but here the main motive is likely to be not with the at-risk
employees but on establishing an environment for the lay-offs which sustains
employee motivation among survivors and employee relations. Compliance and
compliance plus adjustments do not conform to socially responsible practice in
restructuring.
Cooperative arrangements are seen to adopt a socially responsible focus
through an essentially community-centred emphasis. Job protection methods
may be a feature of this but the main emphasis is likely to be on assisted leaving,
with extended processes for both skills-related support and integrated guidance
to those losing their jobs. Public sector funding of the extended activities is an
important ingredient but there may be limited focus on personalised approaches
or delivery.
Transitional adjustment is distinguished from other arrangements by
combining preventive measures with internal adjustment; external adjustments
(of surplus labour) are likely to be a last step in restructuring. Existing
arrangements are likely to underpin both the provision made and also the way in
which it is resourced. Various combinations of practice will be involved, but with
guidance measures and personalisation a strong and embedded feature of
delivery. The underlying emphasis is not with assisted leaving but on support of
workers to empower their transitions, within the restructuring enterprise and
outside, and for that skill and knowledge to have some sustainable value to
individuals. Measures are likely to be wholly or largely funded by existing
arrangements.

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