Hardworking people, those playing by the book and committed to provide excellence get laid-off when least expected. Often already facing their midlife crisis, when they catch wind of company downsizing and changes within the firm, it’s a double impact kick in the balls.
First of all, the job market is changing while firms are streamlining their operations which can cause havoc to the lives of established employees, making them redundant. Job placement experts on the other hand, say the staffing market should grow in 2023. Due to data-driven activities, artificial intelligence (AI), and the more modern approach to drive business while reducing overheads, employees need to be aware that international corporations are cutting corners.
One example is Pernod Ricard for overhauling organizational structure (see link) and by implementing a twofold B2B digital transformation at one of the world’s largest liquor brands. The firm selected Monimedia to deliver a B2B platform (see link) to help improve both operational efficiency and e-commerce business.
Pernod also moved to remove the regional entities for Europe, the Middle East and Africa as well as Latin America and Asia, regrouping all markets into 10 management entities. Pernod reinforces its governance and evolves its organization to support its next phase of growth and ongoing transformation, which commenced in 2015.
They sought to streamline their complex and manual operational processes, as well as further advance their e-commerce business, for both clients and internal staff through a unified digital platform. As the system needed to be consistent and shared across all markets, strict access permissions and roles needed to be implemented for efficiency and effectiveness.
Consequently, the company cut approximately 40% of its marketing staff. They were given attractive package terms to leave the company while creators were kept on. Clearly, the redundancy of marketing staff is repositioning the company, as content creators, are responsible for creating, reviewing and editing content for the company which will be published in the company's websites and social media pages.
Without knowing the exact details of the latest move, I’m imagining from the information received that they are relying on online promotional methods to reach consumers and increase sales while reducing costs. Most likely via its unified digital platform, they believe results can be achieved from its online presence; centralizing campaigns to the wholesale market using its limited staff count. It goes against the usual marketing and sales approach which involves rapport of face-2-face, or personal communication and verbal interaction which until now has played a major role for Pernod Ricard.
The coronavirus pandemic encouraged stretching to reach new heights by changing the way challenges were faced. Face-2-face meetings went online, saving time and money while facilitating distance issues took preference. Online sales volumes increased making many streets stores struggle to compete and eventually thousands of shops closed as buyers continued to buy online. The impact of covid has meant an across the board need to streamline for competitiveness.
Another company, Haleon is reducing its workforce in a cost cutting move. The Sensodyne toothpaste maker has initiated a consultation process to communicate with its employees about the layoff. The world’s largest independent consumer health company is planning significant job cuts in the UK and globally (see link above). The company, which was separated from GSK last year, currently employs over 24,000 employees worldwide. The workforce reduction was communicated to employees shortly before a consultation process had been initiated which was set to conclude on August 25.
Haleon has expressed its commitment to supporting impacted employees during the consultation process. According to the report, those affected by the layoffs are projected to leave the company in September. The specific number of job cuts has not yet been disclosed.
The company which operates in the consumer health sector, is also known for brands such as Advil painkillers and Centrium supplements. The decision to downsize its workforce comes as part of the company’s broader strategic initiatives to adapt to market dynamics and enhance its operational efficiency.
The move is an indication of the ongoing challenges faced by large corporations in the current business landscape which often necessitate organizational restructuring to remain competitive and achieve long term growth.
Last week alone major players decided to lay-off staff:
Sept 06, 2023 – Roku is cutting about 10% of its workforce, or 360 people, and it will limit new hiring as it cuts costs.
Sept 05, 2023 – Nestlé to lay off 210 staff at US coffee factory
Sept 04, 2023 – Global software company Pegasystems is laying off 4 percent of its workforce, or about 240 employees,
Sept 02, 2023 – Wells Fargo & Co. is cutting more than 300 jobs in the complaints and remediations area.
Sept 01, 2023 – UBS will cut 3,000 jobs to save costs after taking over Credit Suisse.
However, the staffing and recruiting industry is expected to experience continued growth in 2023. According to a recent report by Staffing Industry Analysts, the US staffing market is forecast to grow by 2.5% in 2023. Several factors drive this growth, including the ongoing labor shortage, the increasing use of technology in the workplace, and the changing demographics.
The labor shortage is one of the most significant challenges facing businesses today. In 2022, there were over 10 million open jobs in the US, expected to grow in 2023. This shortage is driven by several factors, including the aging population, declining manufacturing jobs, and the increasing demand for skilled workers.
The use of technology in the workplace is a major factor driving growth in the staffing and recruiting industry. Companies increasingly use technology to automate tasks.
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All the best!
Prof. Carl Boniface
P.S Check out my 500th blog in tomorrow's post.
Vocabulary builder:
catch wind of (idiom) = If you get wind of something, you hear about it, especially when someone else did not want you to know about it. [informal]
Kick in the balls (idiom) = (slang) A big setback or disappointment. Sack Slap is a slang term for a "game" where a participant attacks, by slapping, tapping, punching, kicking, elbowing, twisting, or backhanding a victim's testicles. The term derived from 'sack', slang that refers to the scrotum, and the activity is a form of groin attack, hence when a person is sacked it means his services are no longer required.
Havoc (n) = destruction, chaos, mayhem, disorder, mess, confusion, turmoil, (ant) order
Redundant (adj) = not or no longer needed or useful; superfluous. "Many of the old skills had become redundant." jobless, out of work, unneeded. British usage (of a person) no longer employed because there is no more work available. "Eight permanent staff were made redundant." (Of words or data) able to be omitted without loss of meaning or function. "Our peculiar affection for redundant phrases"
Cutting corners (idiom) = undertake something in what appears to be the easiest, quickest, or cheapest way, especially by omitting to do something important or ignoring rules. "There is always a temptation to cut corners when time is short"
Governance (n) the action or manner of governing. "A more responsive system of governance will be required." (syn) domination, authority, control, (ant) weakness.
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