I need not talk about the horrors that Covid-19 has been having the world over. Almost every major country is in a state of lockdown. While people are helpless and following the orders of their state, a part of this staying-back at home is killing businesses and economies.
Companies are ending up in helpless situations, with cash registers getting empty with each passing day, dealing with their share and scale of challenges, the magnitudes of which, a regular employee will never understand. Reduced revenues, loss of clientele, managing running costs, handling investors, dealing with state restrictions — hard decisions need to be taken.
But here is my message to companies — While laying off any employee would be the best way to cut-down costs in this time, remember, this is not a situation he can easily rise up from. There would be no company with a ‘Now hiring’ sign board on.
With rents and EMI’s to be paid, children to schooled and fed, older parents to be taken care an entire eco-system can get disrupted. Also let us not forget, there are many who have lost loved ones in this viral war. What the world needs now is a little bit of compassion. Compassion to help people get through this phase.
This is a ship and the entire world is on this ship. The ship needs its captain, more than ever. Throw off some heavy junk if needed cos pushing people off it might not be the best decision. The storm is here to stay. It is this employee that sailed you this far, it is also he who will take you to the next shore.
For now, get the employees a salary cut and pay whatever little you can afford. Help them in finding a new job. Give them get a chance to save themselves. Let them build a boat for themselves and jump off when they are ready. For one day they will welcome you to a new world built with a little compassion from an employer who decided to keep them afloat.