Showing our impact amidst layoffs

Plus a few opportunities for expanding your network and showcasing your work!

Author

Bonnie Dilber
August 30, 2024

Start building your start-up network today!

To contribute content to HR for Good, complete the form here!

Showing the value of HR

This week’s question was submitted with a request to remain anonymous.

My company has gone through two rounds of layoffs, and a stream of other exits. There are still cases where there just isn't enough for work for several teams and our HR team is very worried about how their jobs will be affected. I would like to hear ideas for how to show the value of HR during this period and strategies for internal mobility as several teams are hiring aggressively at this time.

Here’s what you all shared!

Your first question for showcasing the value of HR, my suggestion is to demonstrate HR as a strategic partner. Many employers treat HR as administrative and bureaucratic tasks. Reposition your team as a strategic partner to leadership. Demonstrate how the initiatives that your team works on impact the company’s productivity and revenue.

For your second question of internal mobility, what workforce planning has taken place? My recommendation is to use this to map skills and identify places where HR team members may be positioned to take on work. Even if they have just 60-70% of the role-specific skills, they may be ready to take on the work with a strong onboarding.

If you are in a position to do so, I would advocate for a hiring freeze on non-critical roles so you focus on retaining your existing talent before bringing in new employees.

You could begin cross-training employees before they are affected, and then

Submitted anonymously, but volunteered a direct connection to OP - please email me, and I’m happy to connect the two if you!

HR can provide strategic value following a layoff by providing resources like coaching and job placement support to affected employees. These services:

1. Protect the employer brand by ensuring former employees feel supported, which helps them leave with positive sentiments. This positive experience can turn them into brand ambassadors, enhancing the company's reputation even after they’ve left.

2. Mitigate the impact on the morale of remaining employees by reducing “survivor guilt” and fear of future layoffs, leading to greater stability and productivity within the organization.

3. Strengthen future recruiting efforts, as candidates are more likely to consider joining a company known for its compassionate handling of layoffs.

4. Redeploy talent within the company, by supporting internal mobility to roles with teams that are hiring.Head of Talent, Fintech

One thing we’ve done in my work place was implement a secondment program. This allowed our talent acquisition team to work in other areas of the business - product, data, other HR teams, etc. It was great skill development for the team, and filled critical needs across the business.

Me! (Bonnie)

Hopefully those ideas sparked some thinking for you all! If you’d like to contribute a challenge to get input on, or share insights to help the community, you can submit them here.

Fun fact: I’ve actually lived this

Workfolk is on a mission to help EVERYONE working in startups build a network that puts them in control of their startup career.

Building a network has never been more important than it is right now.

Every job ad receives hundreds of applications, your sales targets are bombarded with countless messages from competitors every day, and anyone can easily create and share marketing content. We could go on, but you get the point!

In almost every scenario, it’s become extremely difficult to stand out, and it’s only going to get harder, largely thanks to AI.

The great thing is, anyone can build a network! It doesn’t matter how junior or senior you are, what your background is, or your area of expertise.

By “network,” we don’t mean a superficial one based on LinkedIn likes and follower counts. We mean a network that actively provides support, learning, mentorship, confidence, and opportunities.

A strong network goes beyond social media. It includes mentorship, meetups, events, roundtable discussions with like-minded individuals, workshops, courses, communities, and personal branding.

So, how do you go about building your startup network? Where do you even start?

That’s exactly why we created WorkFolk. We’re here to help you build a network that puts you in control of your startup career and empowers you to live your life on your own terms. Whether you’re hiring for your startup, looking for jobs with startups, interested in referring your network for roles, or simply interested in expanding your network, Workfolk is the community for you!

To get started, simply sign up for our waitlist, and we'll begin supporting you right away—free of charge!

Welcome to WorkFolk!

Awesome Talent Practices in the Wild!

This section will share innovative ideas and practices from individuals and companies. I’ll share some that I spy, but you are always welcome to brag about your work!!

Interested in having your work featured in HR Brew? Submit your info to HR Brew reporter Paige McGlauflin!

As someone who is a huge fan of applications that require more than just a resume, I appreciated this post from Amy Miller!

I’ll be speaking on this virtual panel hosted by Ashby on September 10th. If you want to talk about hiring, and learn more about some of the new features Ashby is rolling out, join us!

Clickup’s social media is crushing it…they have an entire account devoted to comedy videos. Definitely an innovative approach. Have fun with this one!

Supporting our Community

Looking for a job? Hiring? Got a resource to share? Send them my way!

Please note that I’ve received a number of jobs/jobseeker submissions that are not fit for this community (not HR-related). I’ll include roles that could be adjacent (like a program manager role) but will not include rules that are unlikely to fit the focus of the community.

Becky Aldaz is looking for her next role in employee experience, and brings a wealth of experience in L&D, program and project management! Here’s what she shared: I'm looking for a role where I can continue to make a meaningful impact by shaping a positive employee experience. I’m passionate about creating onboarding programs that truly set people up for success and building environments where open communication is the norm. I thrive when I’m mentoring and coaching, helping teams reach their full potential. In my next role, I want to focus on ensuring every employee feels heard, valued, and empowered to do their best work.

Matthew Razey is hiring a remote HRBP at Monro.

Jade McFadden is a recruiter specializing in HR roles. Many of the roles her company recruits for are on site/hybrid, but see if there’s one in your neck of the woods!