Our economy has come a long way in the last couple of years. Things
are definitely looking up, but some companies are still feeling the pain. If
you’re experiencing the pressure to cut costs, you’re not alone. The recent
sequestering on the federal budget is the perfect example of making difficult
decisions to make ends meet. When those tough decisions need to be made,
chances are, you’re the one your company turns to.
But how do you know where to trim the fat? Do you focus on the most
expensive budget items or do you make small cuts that will add up? If you find
yourself in a similar predicament, here are a few areas of your compensation
package where you should and shouldn’t cut costs.
Don’t: Cut Health
Insurance
This may be one of your most significant expenses depending on how
much of your employees’ plans you cover, but it’s not the place to make drastic
cuts right off the bat. Health care coverage is such a vital part of your
employees’ benefits package because for many, it’s not a luxury, it’s a
necessity. Unfortunately, many companies are making big decisions when it comes
to health care. Wendy’s, Hobby Lobby and Papa John’s are just a few that have
recently cut employees’ hours so they won’t be required to provide coverage
under the new Affordable Health Care Act. Just last week I came across a
Facebook post revealing that a call center was doing away with health insurance
for their hourly employees. Since the woman who posted about it and her husband
both work for the same company, they are losing the coverage for them and their
two children.
While it seems like a financially-responsible decision, companies
making these cuts will see that it has negative effects both immediately and in
the long-term. As far as immediate effects go, employees are likely to feel
betrayed by an employer whom they have invested years with cutting their health
care benefits and may even need to seek employment elsewhere if they absolutely
require health care coverage. If your employees stick it out, you may actually
spend more in the long-term if those employees encounter significant health
issues later in their careers because they didn’t receive proper preventative
medical care.
Do: Suspend Tuition Reimbursement
This may sound tough and heartless, but when something’s got to
give, this is a good place to start. When cutting costs, focus on the things
that are costly and not vital, like tuition reimbursement. Don’t do away with
your tuition reimbursement program completely, but instead suspend it.
Education is a valuable thing, so you don’t want employees to think that you
are de-valuing it or that personal/career growth isn’t important to you. For
this reason, exceptional communication is key.
Explain why this change is taking place and offer assistance from
your HR department if employees would like help in seeking out other tuition
assistance, such as grants and scholarships.
Don’t: Nix the Small Things That Boost Morale
While it may seem like a no-brainer to cut out things that aren’t
necessities, try to keep these around. Whether it’s a soda fountain in the
break room, donuts on Fridays or some other small expense, taking these
etchings away will make your budget cuts hit close to home for employees. Those
small, inexpensive perks that make your business special and different may help
to keep employee morale up through a difficult time.
Sure, something’s got to give when you’re faced with the choice of
where to cut costs, but don’t immediately take away all the perks your
employees have gotten used to. You may even want to give employees a choice of
what they would prefer to keep and what they could let go of. I favor being as
transparent and candid with employees as possible, so if your employees know
that costs are being cut, use a survey to find out what they would cut. Do they
prefer to do away with the free lunch at your monthly lunch-and-learn or would
they rather see the discounted dry cleaning service go?
Do: Adjust Pay and Schedules
Before you make the ultimate decision of laying off employees, try
making adjustments to employees’ pay. This is certainly a tough pill to
swallow, but the majority of employees would probably prefer it over lay offs.
If you are forced to reduce pay, offer alternative schedules to reflect the pay
change. Grant salaried employees time off every week commiserate to the amount
of their pay reduction or allow employees to work from home one day a week as a
thank you and acknowledgement for the sacrifices they are making.
If pay cuts are necessary, ensure that the change starts at the top
down. We’ve all heard the stories of CEOs receiving bonuses while cutting
employees’ pay (Hostess, anyone?). Don’t be that company!
It might be a stretch to say that cutting costs will be painless,
but you can certainly make it easier for your employees to handle. Be strategic
in your messaging to employees and think about people, not just numbers to make
this process a bump in the road rather than a four-car pileup.
What’s happening in your business? Are you finding ways to cut compensation costs?
Jessica Miller-Merrell, SPHR is a workplace and technology strategist specializing in social media. She’s an author who writes at Blogging4Jobs. You can follow her on Twitter @blogging4jobs.
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