Best Practices in Layoffs

by Paula Santonocito

Okay, admittedly, "best practices" and "layoffs" sound weird when used together. Be that as it may, there are employers and HR departments that handle layoffs better than others.

A few weeks ago, an email arrived in my inbox that exemplifies best practices. The details have been changed, but the rest of the message basically remains as received:

As you may have heard, we have had to restructure our human resource department and due to the restructuring we are sorry to announce that Janet Smythe, our recruiting manager, has left the company. Janet was dedicated and committed to XYZ Widgets during her five and a half years here. During her time with XYZ, she helped improve our hiring process and helped bring many outstanding associates to the company.

We sincerely thank Janet for her contribution and wish her the best. If any of you are aware of any opportunities, please contact her directly at (999) 123-1234 or at [email address].

Thank you,
Mavis Browne
Human Resource Manager
XYZ Widgets Inc.
Best Practices Town, USA

So simple, isn't it?