PEARSON EDUCATION Creating a Resilient Workforce: Managing the upside of downsizing (Financial Times Series)

Publication Date: November 2000 Making staff redundant is still a process many companies are forced to go through even in times of economic stability and modest growth. Whilst considerable attention is paid to the treatment of staff made redundant, those who keep their jobs are expected to work harder than ever with the constant worry that next time it may be them. The challenge for companies is how to create a loyal and motivated workforce among those left behind. This new report from Cranfield School of Management sets out how a company can ensure that the core workforce remains focussed, productive and committed to realising the benefits of downsizing. Based on unique research carried out with over 60 large organisations, the report distils information gathered from interviews with senior HR professionals and managers. It provides a variety of models to enable organisations to effectively manage their workplace both during and after a round of redundancies. Contents include: What is downsizing? How should the process be handled? The impact of downsizing on the survivors UK and US cultures In-depth case studies Key lessons Future Challenges About the Author Kusum Sahdev MA, PhD, Cpsychol, FCIPD is an Organizational Psychologist and Visiting Fellow to Cranfield School of Management. Kusum consults primarily in the areas of organizational development, leadership development, organizational culture analysis, values-based selection and cross-cultural management. Her clients include organisations from the financial services, information technology, telecommunications, local government retail manufacturing and chemicals’ distribution sectors. Her passionis to enable people to realise their potential and to help them to manage transitions effectively and positively. She is director of Leo Com Consultancy, a specialist firm of psychologists with a mission to enhance individual, team and organization effectiveness. Prior to this, she has held senior positions specializing in people management and development within a range of organizations encompassing the public and private sectors. Kusum is a Chartered Psychologist, Chartered Occupational Psychologist and a full member of the Division of Occupational Psychology. She holds a Master of Arts in Occupational Psychology and is a fellow Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel of Development. She has recently completed a four-year research study at Cranfield in the area of organization downsizing and its impact on the survivors (employees who remain). She has published several articles and papers in this area with an emphasis on strategies that can be used to rebuild the "new" employment relationship. Through this research she is developing further the themes of organization trust and leadership in the context of downsizing and globalization.   Susan Vinnicombe, MA, PhD, MCIM, FRSA, is Professor of Organizational Behaviour and Diversity Management, Director of Graduate Research, and Director of the Cranfield Centre for Developing Women Business leaders at Cranfield School of management. Susan completed her MA in Marketing at Lancaster University and her doctorate in Organizational Behaviour at Manchester Business School. She has lectured, researched, consulted and published in the field of women in management for 20 years, internationally, both in the private and public sector. Susan regularly speaks at international conferences and has written five books, including The Essence of Women in Management published in 1995. As Director of the Centre for Developing Women Business Leaders, Susan designed and directed in-company Women’s Management Development Programmes for British Telecom and National Power, both Programmes have won the prestigious Opportunity 2000 awards. Susan is Director of Graduate research at Cranfield, where there are currently approximately 120 students studying for Mphils, PhDs and DBAs. She is a director of Strate