Your laid off and furloughed employees are coming back. Now what?
Maybe you can just slide back into the exact same work environment before the pandemic. This article is not for you, and congratulations.
But, if you are like most of us (and IPM is a 28 year old business) where and how to go to the next step is not always clear. The economy, to be kind, is in uncertain terrain and the workforce that has been either furloughed or laid off is, to be even more circumspect, anxious and perhaps traumatized. The workforce not furloughed or laid off has been stretched and often over burdened itself, and is also not without serious anxiety.
Bringing these folks quickly back into a productive and positive work environment is critical if business is to return to health. The first hurdle will be to decide what the new workforce will look like in this new era. Some will come back as employees and some may come back as contractors. Some positions will need to be filled from the outside as the furloughed/laid off employee has simply moved on.
IPM has been in the business of helping corporations manage their workforce requirements for over a quarter of a century. We have dealt with recessions, Y2K scares, terrorism fears, booms and busts and changes in the very definition of what “employment” means, e.g. the “gig” economy. We have had to deal with surge onboarding on a national scale as well as layoffs and mergers. No matter what the situation there is one constant that drives our decisions – that our “product” is REAL PEOPLE – real people, with real families and real lives. Sometimes that fact is forgotten. People become just numbers – a mere commodity and not just the employees and contractors, but also the managers, the administrative staff, the executives are all people, not just numbers, who are all trying to do the right thing for their business, their co-workers and colleagues. Our philosophy is to step back from the spreadsheets and numbers and treat every interaction with our employees and our clients with a people-first mindset.
We can help you onboard new employees and transition furloughed employees back to work. Our national recruiters can help you fill empty positions and perhaps most importantly we can provide contingent labor resources, not only recruited workers, but also your self-sourced/pre-identified workers on a fixed margin based upon your pre-determined pay rate to the worker. In these volatile times, the wisest business move for many is to expand contracted workers. But, do not do that if there is not a clear message to these workers that they will be valued and employed by a vendor who provides them with benefits and true representation, not just a paycheck from a temp company. These workers have already been through a lot. They need to now be shown that they are truly respected and valued.
For those companies who might have diversity set aside or flow down requirement, we are and always have been a certified woman-owned business. Our experience is deep and professional. Our margins are extremely competitive.
You may reach us by contacting Kellie Wirth, Vice President of Business Development: kellie.wirth@ipm-inc.com.