2009:The Year of Layoffs

© Copyright 2010 ZweigWhite. All rights reserved. The year of the layoffs— and of budget cuts to avoid them Job reductions were rampant in 2009, as were deep cutbacks designed to maintain employment. As the economy tanked in the first half of the year and struggled to recover in the second, three out of four fir ms in the A/E and envir onmental consultin g industries cut their staffs.Those cutbacks fol- lowed industry-wide budget reductions intended to reduce the number of job eliminations. “In addition to the lay offs, we had some positions reduced to part- time to alleviate the lack of work, ” said Kristy Jord an, human resources manager at TAYLOR (Ne wport Beach, CA) , a 60-pe r- son architecture, planning, interior design and structural engineering firm. January 2010 A ZweigWhite Publication The Zweig HR Letter 1 By the Numbers: The year of the layoffs— and of budget cuts to avoid them 1 Workplace etiquette issues raise legal problems, in addition to hackles 4 The Legal Corner: Feds increasing scrutiny of affirmative action compliance 5 Beyond Benefits: T ie financial health to physical wellness for better results 6 Growing People: Coaching: A tool for staff development 7 Guest Speaker: Strategic planning is a messy process 3 HR Bri efs 8 On the Move 8 Resources Inside: Workplace etiquette issues raise legal problems, in addition to hackles Dress code is a perennial issue, and social networking presents new challenges for HR professionals. In a field like AEC , workpl ace etiquette has a double meaning: To ensure a smoothly running shop , firms must develop and maintain excellent client relations as well as promote good manners inside the office. Human resources plays a special role in maintaining a civil atmosphere at work.The key , exper ts say , is to lay out your firm’s policie s clearly and then enforce them fairl y . White and blue collars The AE C industry often combines white and blue collar workers in the same firm, which can produce issues for HR professionals.“There is the danger of exacting different standards for different employees,”says Alexandra Levit, a business and workplace speaker who writes a syndicated column for the Wall Street Journal and is the author of MillennialT weet: 140 Bite-Sized Ideas for Managing the Millennials . “What’s appropriate for one depar tment may not be appropriate for another, ” Levit explains.“But making distinctions based on job functions could result in tension.” “HR must specify what constitutes good workplace etiquette for various departments, ” Levit sa ys, in dress codes and ot her areas. see By the Numbers on page 3 see Etiquette on page 2 ZweigWhite’s customized in-house training sessions are facilitated by ZweigWhite principals who have industry-specific experience and technical know-how. Schedule them to work with your staff, right in your office. T o discuss y our specific needs, please contact Principal Christine Brack at 312-368-6002 or by e-mail at [email protected] . In-house training By the Numbers Management ideas for A/E Human Resources professionals How many employees left your firm involuntarily in 2009? ZWEIGWHITE Your participation in this simple online survey will take only minutes and improve the overall results of next month’s By the Numbers data. 1) Is your company matching 401k contributions? 2) How many people do you plan to hire in 2010? T o participate in the survey, visit www.zweigwhite.com/go/numbers . Next month’s By the Numbers 17% One to five 7% More than 50 28% 11 to 25 24% Zero 17% Six to 10 7% 26 to 50 Visit us at: www.zweigwhite.com

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2009:The Year of Layoffs