HR leaders have been placed on high alert due to the prospect of a government shutdown in the US. This creates a cause for worry not only for government workers, but also for government contractors, and businesses that employ the ones mentioned above. What can Human resource leaders do to prepare for this potential crisis while ensuring their employees focus on productivity and financial reprieve?
Advance Preparation is Key
Hypothetical financial scenarios need to be assessed as a preventive measure by the HR leaders. They can work together with the company to assess what happens to the business in case there is a government shutdown, how many workers it will affect, and the compensation that employees will receive from the company.
The probability of the shutdown of the government has been threatened for almost several years. It is also important to make a budget now so that everything will be ready if this tragedy happens. Such advanced thinking makes a company resilient even during such uncertain times.
It should also be noted that when funding is limited to support ongoing work, contractors are faced with several difficult decisions to navigate through.
Transparent Communication
In such cases, one of the critical roles that an HR leader should fulfil is transparent communication with his/her employees. It’s important to tell employees about the plans of the company and their readiness to endure a government shutdown.
Communicate with staff quickly to help mitigate the anxiety of employees that their pay will not be negatively impacted by a government shutdown.
The imminent government shutdown is a wake-up call to HR leaders. Organizations should conduct a proactive assessment of financial impact and engage in open dialogue with employees regarding possible productive plans.
