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Should you Fire Staff When Business Slows Down?

jobs in Tampa BayAre there certain times of the year when business is slow for you? Maybe it’s the fall before the snowbirds come down south or the spring before everyone begins vacationing in Tampa Bay and the college kids decide to let their hair down. There may be times when your business doesn’t just seem to slow down, but stop altogether. When this happens, what does it mean for your jobs in Tampa Bay and your employees?

Generally, when business slows down, so do your profits, so it may be tempting to let a majority of your staff go during these times, or at least lay them off. Is it the best idea, though? Terminating employees can be a messy experience. You may have to offer just cause, provide severance packages, and some employees may try to dispute the termination if they believe they were discriminated against. Let’s take a look at how you should handle this and what your other options may be.

Slow Business and Jobs in Tampa Bay

Maximizing your time, money, and effort during slow times can be torture when you’re managing jobs in Tampa Bay, but there are solutions that doesn’t involve firing your staff.

  • You Can Layoff Employees- If you can’t afford to pay your employees during a slow seasoning, laying them off may be the right solution. This allows employees to apply for unemployment in the state of Florida, which will give them the opportunity to obtain a paycheck (albeit smaller than they are used to) and will reduce the amount of money you have to hand out each week. Laying off employees isn’t the same as firing them. They are still part of your workforce, and you can call them back to work when needed. In order to do this legally, though, if you have more than 50 employees, make sure to give employees written notice of the layoff at least 60 days in advance.
  • Let Workers Take Vacation Time- Don’t need as many employees in the office? Encourage workers to take their vacation time now. They won’t have to worry about missing important meetings or events, and you won’t have to worry about finding staff to replace them while they are out.
  • Train Your Staff- If you have the funds to keep employees on, even part-time, during the slow down, take advantage of it. Don’t let your workers sit around, twiddling their thumbs. Focus on their education and skills. By training them now, you’ll know they are prepared for the busy season ahead.

Preparing for a Slow Down

If you know a slow down is coming, and you won’t be able to pay your staff, there is another alternative to firing them. Prepare for the slow down by hiring the right workers.

First, think about how many employees you can continue to pay when business is slow. This amount should be your ‘core staff,’ or the employees who will continually stay employed, no matter what. Once you’ve established the core individuals, hire temps to cover the rest of the work. A staffing service, like HH Staffing Services, can help you locate long-term temps for temporary jobs in Tampa Bay.

When the slow season begins, you can let these employees go without having to worry about providing them with a severance package or angry reactions. Why? Because temp workers go into their positions knowing that they don’t the type of job security regular employees have. In fact, they often enjoy the fact that their employment with a company is temporary, because moving onto another gives them more experience and insight.

By preparing your workforce for a potential slow down, you can avoid the unpleasant issue of firing any of your workers. And, when business picks up again, you can easily find new temps to fill in by calling HH Staffing Services.

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