Which staff can be relied upon?  When businesses face an uncertain environment, employers must identify which staff has the skills to help steer away through a crisis. What skills are needed to cope with change?

FREMONT, CA: Both the U.S. and the U.K. are officially in recession. While both companies are expected to recover on paper, the outlook of the economy in real is uncertain. Online assessment provider, Questionmark, has been urging employers to ask five urgent questions to ensure the workforce is recession ready. Employers need to find new and innovative ways to hold on to their employees, get the most out of them, and help them develop.

“‘In uncertain times, employers must ensure they have the information to make right decisions about managing the workforce.

This is especially important as many firms may not have the usual incentives of pay and promotion to help motivate.  Instead, employers need to understand their people and help them develop the skills now that will serve them well in future,” said Lars Pedersen, CEO of Questionmark.

Which staff can be relied upon?  When businesses face an uncertain environment, employers must identify which staff have the skills to help steer away through a crisis. What skills are needed to cope with change?  Every crisis provides an opportunity to innovate.  What are the new skills that must be embraced to plot a path to prosperity?

Do they exist in the current workforce? What training is needed?  Employers must be aware of which staff need training, in what and whether it is working.

“Which team members will be essential to maintaining productivity?  What skills are needed to adapt and where do they exist across teams and functions? Assessing the skills, attitudes and aptitude of the workforce provides the data to make good people-decisions.  It can ensure the workforce is as prepared as possible for the next wave of change and disruption that is likely to accompany an economic downturn,” added Pedersen. Questionmark was listed as one of the Top Talent Management Solution Providers for 2020 by Manage HR magazine.

Which are the staff to be retained?  When uncertainty is inevitable, it is often the best staff that choose to jump ship, which can be destabilizing for the entire workforce. By identifying which team members must be kept, employers can invest in their development. Which staff have transferable skills?  There will be team members that employers do not want to lose, even if their role is surplus to requirement.  Which employees have transferable skills that could enable them to thrive in an alternative position?