Page 89 - Socially-responsible-restructuring-Effective-strategies-for-supporting-redundant-workers

Socially responsible restructuring
Effective strategies for supporting redundant workers

adequate resources. AutoVision offers a financial incentive (the ‘mobility
premium’) to displaced staff to encourage them to move into new jobs as early as
possible in the run-down period, an approach that is considered good for the
employee (reducing the period of uncertainty) and good for the employer (by
reducing the duration of support needed). Another interesting innovation from this
transfer company is the approach of delivering all support activities at a location
different to the displaced worker’s own work site. This is purposefully done to
help disassociate the worker from the old job and working environment and
provide a reminder that this should be placed firmly behind them.
Transfer companies tend to focus on individual counselling matched by a
customised package of support measures and they tend to be fairly self-
contained because they are well resourced. An internal jobcentre was set up on
site in Siemens without the need to bring in the local PES, which is more
common in other Member States. This transfer company has its own array of
other enterprise contacts with employers throughout Germany which use the
internal jobcentre as their own recruitment vehicle. The transfer company also
has a more extensive working relationship with the employer and works in more
general aspects of human resource management support, such as recruitment.
This has enabled it to accumulate substantial knowledge of the company
workforce which can be put to good use in developing customised support to the
displaced employees.
Transfer companies also tend to provide a support service for much longer
than the normal redundancy period. Because they are funded, and in some
cases have devolved operation, by the employers, they have a continuing
presence and a focus for the redundant workers: they know clearly where to go
for help, even after they may have found alternative employment. In Siemens the
support to displaced employees is kept in place for up to two years to ensure
placements are as appropriate and socially valid as possible.
Beyond some of the identified ‘pool’ arrangements in parts of Scandinavia,
and notably in the Teliasonera case study of Finland, offering this continuity and
length of support does not appear to be replicated in the case studies in other
Member States. In the UK it seems to be unusual for the company-based or
associated workplace support services to be available much beyond the statutory
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redundancy period of 90 days ( ). In Anglesey Aluminium, the on-site drop-in
centre is planned to be open for around three months after the end of the notice
period, but this is not common practice. Also in this case, the support extends to

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( ) In the UK the 90-day consultation period applies to collective redundancies of 100 or more
workers. Redundancies of fewer than 100 but greater than 20 require a shorter consultation
period of 30 days.

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