HR can make a difference in this recession

Next month on HRzone.co.uk, we will be taking an in-depth look at how to manage the survivors, following any redundancy process. So, this obviously involves issues such as employee engagement, loyalty and motivation, talent management, performance management, communication and trust.

To this end, HR has a tough job ensuring the top talent don’t get up and leave, and that morale, trust, engagement and productivity don’t decline during these tough times and after a number of job losses have been made. Otherwise, what hope have UK businesses got in emerging from the recession a success, and remaining competitive in a global market?

The HR department must create an environment in which motivation levels are maintained across the workforce, the employer brand remains in tact, and that those remaining employees don’t feel guilty, unsettled and disillusioned. No mean feat.

But how exactly should HR be going about this? Does it lie in great leadership? Great communication? Great people strategies? I would think it is a combination of all of these, and more.

A recent study by Globoforce found that the mindset of today’s employees shows that while they may be putting on a brave front on the surface, the reality is that underneath, there is a great deal of fear and uncertainty going on, which then creates a distracted and disengaged workforce. With this in mind, it is clear that HR’s role in this recession is critical.

This was definitely the message that the CIPD and ACAS were aiming to get across at their conference in London this week, Resilience through recession. High-profile speakers all talked about the important role that HR plays in unlocking employee engagement, building trust, and developing skills to help organisations navigate their way through the downturn.

So the key message to HR here is, don’t underestimate your role in this recession in the slightest. There are opportunities here to really shape the future of your organisation and ensure its success, through great people management, clear and honest communication, and effective HR strategy.