Bronwyn Fryer

“Por que as demissões não são ensinadas como disciplina na escola de negócios?” Robin Astrigo se perguntou. “Os conselhos esperam que os executivos as façam bem, mas ninguém sabe como.”

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Reprint: R0903A
Astrigo is in trouble. The home improvement chain has missed its earnings forecast badly and sales are falling. A 10% reduction in staff looks like the only choice. Layoffs, however, would undermine the retailer&#8217;s longtime commitment to employees and the ability to provide its famed customer service. But tapping cash reserved for strategic acquisitions goes against the firm&#8217;s values, too. What should the CEO do?
Board advisers Laurence J. Stybel and Maryanne Peabody, of Stybel Peabody Lincolnshire, suggest that the company borrow a page from McDonald&#8217;s and declare Astrigo&#8217;s intention to focus on the interests of long-term shareholders. This move would establish a framework that would help management make tactical decisions with more clarity and flexibility. The company could then use its cash to buy a little time to study the options. If Astrigo can&#8217;t avoid layoffs, a last-in, first-out approach would be the least costly.
Former CEO J&#252;rgen Dormann understands the challenge Astrigo faces. When he took over ABB, the company was in deep distress. After shaking up his executive committee, Dormann personally reached out to all 180,000 employees to enlist their help. They came back with ideas that saved $1.6 billion&#8212;and rescued the company.
Management professor Robert I. Sutton thinks too many executives assume that layoffs are the best way to reduce costs. They don&#8217;t factor in how long it takes to realize the savings from job cuts, the costs to hire and train people once business picks up, or the damage to morale and productivity. Astrigo&#8217;s executives should consider alternatives such as pay cuts, reduced benefits, unpaid time off, and incentives for departure. If layoffs are inevitable, Astrigo should do them quickly, and firing the bottom 10% of employees would be the worst approach.

The Layoff

Reimpressão: R0903A Astrigo está em apuros. A rede de materiais de construção não atingiu gravemente sua previsão de lucros e as vendas estão caindo. Uma redução de 10% na equipe parece ser a única opção. As demissões, no entanto, prejudicariam o compromisso de longa data do varejista com os funcionários e a capacidade de fornecer seu famoso atendimento ao cliente. Mas usar o dinheiro reservado para aquisições estratégicas também vai contra os valores da empresa. O que o CEO deve fazer? Os conselheiros Laurence J. Stybel e Maryanne Peabody, da Stybel Peabody Lincolnshire, sugerem que a empresa pegue emprestada uma página do McDonald's e declare a intenção da Astrigo de se concentrar nos interesses dos acionistas de longo prazo. Essa medida estabeleceria uma estrutura que ajudaria a gerência a tomar decisões táticas com mais clareza e flexibilidade. A empresa poderia então usar seu dinheiro para comprar um pouco de tempo para estudar as opções. Se a Astrigo não conseguir evitar demissões, uma abordagem de último a entrar e primeiro a sair seria a menos dispendiosa. O ex-CEO Jürgen Dormann entende o desafio que a Astrigo enfrenta. Quando ele assumiu a ABB, a empresa estava em profunda angústia. Depois de sacudir seu comitê executivo, Dormann entrou em contato pessoalmente com todos os 180.000 funcionários para pedir sua ajuda. Eles voltaram com ideias que economizaram 1,6 bilhão de dólares e resgataram a empresa. O professor de administração Robert I. Sutton acha que muitos executivos presumem que as demissões são a melhor maneira de reduzir custos. Eles não levam em consideração o tempo necessário para obter as economias com cortes de empregos, os custos de contratação e treinamento de pessoas quando os negócios se recuperam ou os danos à moral e à produtividade. Os executivos da Astrigo devem considerar alternativas como cortes salariais, benefícios reduzidos, folgas não remuneradas e incentivos à partida. Se as demissões forem inevitáveis, a Astrigo deve fazê-las rapidamente, e demitir os 10% mais pobres dos funcionários seria a pior abordagem.

A demiss&atilde;o

Reprint: R0903A Astrigo is in trouble. The home improvement chain has missed its earnings forecast badly and sales are falling. A 10% reduction in staff looks like the only choice. Layoffs, however, would undermine the retailer’s longtime commitment to employees and the ability to provide its famed customer service. But tapping cash reserved for strategic acquisitions goes against the firm’s values, too. What should the CEO do? Board advisers Laurence J. Stybel and Maryanne Peabody, of Stybel Peabody Lincolnshire, suggest that the company borrow a page from McDonald’s and declare Astrigo’s intention to focus on the interests of long-term shareholders. This move would establish a framework that would help management make tactical decisions with more clarity and flexibility. The company could then use its cash to buy a little time to study the options. If Astrigo can’t avoid layoffs, a last-in, first-out approach would be the least costly. Former CEO Jürgen Dormann understands the challenge Astrigo faces. When he took over ABB, the company was in deep distress. After shaking up his executive committee, Dormann personally reached out to all 180,000 employees to enlist their help. They came back with ideas that saved $1.6 billion—and rescued the company. Management professor Robert I. Sutton thinks too many executives assume that layoffs are the best way to reduce costs. They don’t factor in how long it takes to realize the savings from job cuts, the costs to hire and train people once business picks up, or the damage to morale and productivity. Astrigo’s executives should consider alternatives such as pay cuts, reduced benefits, unpaid time off, and incentives for departure. If layoffs are inevitable, Astrigo should do them quickly, and firing the bottom 10% of employees would be the worst approach.

A demissão

Resumo.

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