With schools in England facing real-terms budget cuts, it’s no surprise that job losses have been on the agenda of many a governors meeting recently; in a survey of more than 900 schools by the Association of School and College Leaders, almost four in 10 respondents said they have made redundancies.
Making staff redundant is perhaps one of the most difficult things you have to do as a manager. You need to handle the process in as sensitive, efficient and legally compliant manner as possible, while dealing with the understandable anxiety of the individual whose livelihood is under threat. Here are some suggestions for making this painful process as smooth as possible.
Do it by the book
There are strict legal requirements that must be met when arranging compulsory redundancies to ensure that the process is open, fair and consistently applied. This includes several consultations with the staff and trade unions or employee representatives to identify those at risk, agree the redundancy process and selection criteria, as well as formally communicating decisions and the appeals process.
All alternatives must be considered, from offering voluntary redundancy on enhanced terms to redeployment, career breaks or reduced hours. It is strongly recommended that you work closely with your in-house human resource (HR) adviser, the HR team at the local authority or, if necessary, bring in an HR or legal consultant to help the school and governing body. There is helpful guidance on this on the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (pdf) and Association of Teachers and Lecturers websites. If you fail to follow due process you run the risk of fighting unnecessary and expensive unfair dismissal claims and losing trust and respect in an already emotionally fraught situation.
Communicate clearly and consistently
It’s best to communicate as early as possible that there may be restructuring ahead. The senior leadership team (SLT) should signal early that there are budget challenges as this allows for some proactive cost reduction moves, such as recruitment freezes, that may offset the need for redundancies.
Making sure that all managers are “on message” when they give information to staff is important too – discrepancies only heighten anxiety further. Brief the managers together as a group, and confirm the messages they should deliver in writing so that they have clear cues as to what to say and how to say it.
Be attentive
Individuals at risk of redundancy face real uncertainty about their future and need to know that you appreciate how difficult this is for them. Be courteous even if they are not. Take time to listen to what they have to say so that they feel heard. Make any final feedback constructive so that the individual can part company with dignity and self-esteem. If you’ve promised to provide information by certain deadlines, ensure you do, or at least offer explanation as to why it’s no longer possible.
Use your emotional intelligence
Individuals react very differently to redundancy, but this will be helped or hindered by the manager’s handling of the situation. Those who feel they have been treated respectfully are typically more positive, confident and ready to tackle the job market.
Find a way to acknowledge and discuss any concerns with the individual or groups of staff. A simple way to do this is to say, “I know that this must be difficult” or ask, “What would be helpful to you at this point?” This shows you are not just “the bearer of bad news” but someone who recognises their distress and wants to help.
The support you can offer might include providing them with some professional career outplacement support, write them a good reference, help look over an application, or recommend some agencies. If they seem distressed, signpost them to resources that can help. These could include: an employee assistance scheme if this is offered at your school; help via a trade union; Citizens Advice; their GP; or the British Association for Counselling & Psychology website has a directory of counsellors.
Be careful about boundaries, however. You cannot change the decision, nor are you responsible for getting them a new job or sorting out their finances.
Separate your relationship from the business decision
It can help to draw a distinction between your relationship with the individual and the decision for the redundancy. Saying something such as, “While I can see that this is the right decision for the school, on a personal level I’m sorry that we have had to do this.” This separation enables you to have a constructive personal relationship even if there is disagreement over work decisions.
Handover
Arrange a proper handover so that the individual can communicate what they feel needs to be known and tie up any loose ends. This helps the organisation ensure continuity, but also enables the individual to feel that they have discharged their responsibilities. After all, they were paid to care that their job was done well – that can’t easily be turned off.
Leaving do
It’s best to ask the individuals what they would prefer in terms of a leaving do – some will want a party and a warm speech while others may prefer to leave quietly. Respect their wishes, but a card, flowers, wine or present never go amiss.
Survivors
If those who are leaving appear to be treated well and respectfully, then this will be reassuring for remaining staff who may be feeling distressed for their colleagues, and perhaps wondering how they might be treated, if it was their turn next.
Schedule one-to-one meetings with remaining staff to discuss the impact of the changes and their role in the new structure. It’s important that they feel they have a future in the school so it’s an ideal time to talk about their career development, perhaps offer career planning workshops, training or other professional development opportunities.
Corinne Mills is managing director of Personal Career Management.
