Employee reassignments have gained new fame by joining the “quiet” trend.
This trend already includes quiet quitting, quiet vacationing, quiet hiring and quiet firing. The Wall Street Journal coined the term”quiet cutting” to describe what happens when employers reassign rather than terminate an employee.
According to Inc. magazine, what you call it isn’t nearly as important as your reasons behind the move. The effectiveness of reassigning an employee depends on your motivation.
Let’s examine the wrong reasons for reassigning an employee, the right reasons and tips for reassignment.
The wrong reasons
Companies sometimes reassign employees in hopes of getting them to resign. This tactic can reduce the administrative challenges of performance improvement plans, unemployment expenses and severance pay. However, Inc. notes that it can create more significant problems, including decreased morale, increased turnover, a toxic workplace culture and lawsuits.
Moving an employee to a less desirable or ill-fitting role can negatively affect performance and surrounding colleagues. The downstream effects can even drive good employees out of your company.
When you add up organizational reputation, workplace culture, performance loss, client risk and potential legal fees, avoiding difficult conversations and terminations is often more costly than administrative headaches and a severance package.
Moreover, Inc. notes it’s not an effective way of dealing with ineffective employees. When someone is wrong for your organization, it’s better to terminate. According to the International Risk Management Institute, warning signs for termination include:
- Negative attitude
- Bad work ethic
- Poor performance
- Sudden declines in productivity
- Regular tardiness or unexcused absences
- Mistreatment of coworkers or clients
When employees fitting these descriptors are reassigned, it’s the motive that’s flawed. In these cases, reassignment will postpone the main issue. It can also cause additional problems
The right reasons
When done correctly, reassigning employees allows you to retain valuable talent. When a good employee is in the wrong role, reassignment can be positive for the employee and the organization.
The HR management software firm Eddy highlights situations where reassignment makes sense. Examples include:
- Eliminating an employee’s position for business or market reasons
- Evolving job responsibilities that no longer match the employee’s job description or skill set
- Needing to permanently fill their role due to hardships stemming from a leave or accommodation request (in this situation, consult with counsel to ensure compliance with all applicable employment laws)
- Relocation or other geographic issues
Inc. notes that skills can be taught more easily than cultural fit, hard work, commitment, positive influences on colleagues and other intangible qualities. These traits define the employees you hope to find and retain.
In these cases, there are several advantages of reassignment, according to Eddy:
- Retaining good employees who need to move from their current role
- Reducing costs related to recruiting, hiring, onboarding and training new employees
- Improving workplace culture by demonstrating investment in talent
- Caring for employees by more effectively navigating layoffs and increasing retention
Tips for employee reassignment
Even with good intentions, an employee may not be interested in a new role when being reassigned. Offer them a choice between reassignment and termination. Provide severance if you can afford it.
When reassigning an employee, start by explaining your reasons for the move. Employees understand factors such as changing market forces, department reallocations and skill mismatches. And they will appreciate your transparency.
Highlight the opportunities for personal and professional growth. Explain your plan for transitional support and training.
Set performance expectations for the new role. A reassignment is typically not a promotion, but it shouldn’t feel like a punishment.
Give the employee time to assess the proposed change. Listen to their concerns about the reassignment. When possible, address their worries with a step-by-step plan. Seeing details and feeling support will reduce their fears about change.
Need more information?
For support on this topic contact OneGroup HR Consulting at HR Consulting at hrconsulting@onegroup.com. They can provide best practices on reassignment, including planning, training, communication, and compliance.
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