Ok....
Well putting aside the mechanics, law, unions, payoffs, transfers, closure of a facility etc etc etc, there are the people. I have never made a person redundant who deserved it because of their own performance. It’s always been because of the incompetence of those they worked for.
The first time I had to close a plant down I was still in my twenties. I had lots of HR people advising and so on, but having to let hundreds go and relocate hundreds of others, I took the decision to speak to the whole plant as a group and then individually with every single person over the next four or five days. I could have delegated this to the line management and perhaps should have, but I’m glad I did it as it gave me an insight that many never see.
Now remember all of these people were good people, the vast majority highly qualified and experienced engineers. But every one of them sat in front of me to either be given the news that we were letting them go or were being retained and relocated elsewhere, if they wished.
Now put yourself in my position and imagine looking into the eyes of these men and women, most with families and mortgages and telling them you were letting them go. Each and every one of them having different issues and taking it in differing ways. Some very bullish and had jobs lined up, some desperate for work and in tears. That Is complex, and as you are lucky that you have never had to do it, don’t have a go at those who had to, just count your lucky stars.....
