Riding Out the Storm: More on How HR is Coping With Economic Realities

Mandatory furloughs, voluntary furloughs, voluntary reduction in time from full- to part-time, phased retirements, pulling in-house what had previously been outsourced, new efficiencies in administrative services, hiring freezes, salary freezes, cross-training . . . HR is getting creative, and no one wants to lay people off.

"As of this writing, The University of Washington plans to cut at least 600 jobs. Up to 50 people may lose jobs at Colorado State University. Utah State University is laying off 20 workers. The jobs of eight workers at Riverland Community College (Minn.) are in jeopardy. Nearly 100 workers at Harvard—supposedly the richest university in the world—have lost their jobs over the past year."

"As the nation’s unemployment rate continues to climb, many higher ed leaders aren’t sitting back, waiting for the inevitable to happen. HR professionals are being proactive, taking advantage of the recession to either streamline or create practices that save money, stabilize expenses, and, ultimately, prevent layoffs."

Read the full article here:
http://www.universitybusiness.com/viewarticle.aspx?articleid=1286