The current scenario has caught us unaware. No work means, no productivity and no productivity is no business, no income. In the struggle to survive and keep the organization running many entrepreneurs have had to think and rethink their workforce strategies, and are forced to make changes that are disruptive and painful.

No matter how hard you try, your expenses continue to mount and are out-of-line with the current needs of your business. What are your alternatives? Or should we say is there an alternative? We all know the answer, but, still check for reasonable options.

Downsizing or doing layoffs is a toxic solution, but will happen, that is for sure, across levels and across sectors. Employers have been left with little or no choice at all. We really don’t know in what way or how badly the cookie will crumble, but the cookie will surely crumble.

The extremely difficult decision is, of who must be laid off. These are critical decisions that have as much to do with the future of the organization as it does with the present. There will be a reduction in manpower however, is there choice?

Even if laying off employees is the only way to keep the organization running, how do you handle your feelings of guilt and sadness?  Out of fear and guilt, many employers choose to give employees as little forewarning as possible about an upcoming layoff or downsizing. They fear that if employees know their fate ahead of time, they might become demoralized and unproductive — they may even sabotage the business.

If a layoff is the only option, it should be handled in a humane manner and with the help of experts only. It is critical to ensure fairness and equity.