What to do when company is overstaffed with several employees not skilled in modern business methods?

Question

Hence they propose redducing staff numbers by 25% but potentially employing 3 new staff to improve their skills base. How would you advise the partners approach the issue of reducing staff numbers? what relevant employment law would they need to consider when engaging new staff?

Answer 1

Do your own homework or you will not learn anything.

Answer 2

if the company is already overstaffed, then there is a sound reason to downsize anyway. I would tell them that they have to reapply the 3 posts, and if at the end of the exercise, nobody is deemed relevant, the company will consider external candidates as a last resort. This way, It will give them an opportunity and also give the company a flexibility.

Answer 3

I am not sure that you will be solving your problem if you are eliminating some jobs and adding staff. It seems to me that it would be better to train those already in your employ to do the job that is expected of them rather than bringing in all new people. As far as the law is concerned, most companies can terminate employees at will.

Answer 4

There used to be a rule that when a person is made redundant, if the position is to be filled again within a set period of time (3 months I think) then the person made redundant must be offered the position first.
I am not sure if this is still the case.
You should contact ACAS, or at least look on their site for information and guidance.

http://www.acas.org.uk/

Answer 5

sack the unskilled and employ the skilled... tell the unskilled to return when they have gone and got the relevant qualifications

Answer 6

why don't you just re-train 3 of the staff you already have?

Answer 7

cut out the dead wood i say