Navigating the Impossible Path
Imagine this scenario: you’re leading HR for a mid-sized company — let’s call it SkillWorks Solutions. Renowned for delivering advanced software tools to the service sector, SkillWorks has maintained a steady, respected presence.
This week, the Finance Director at SkillsWorks delivered a stark reality check:
“We need to let 50 staff go by October. Simultaneously, we need to hire 20 people for entirely new roles“.
The challenge intensifies as the hiring budget hasn’t increased for SkillWorksin three years and the new roles demand more complex AI skills than those being cut.
It’s a classic paradox: delivering more with less — faster, smarter, and more cost-effectively — while managing inevitable upheaval.
Meanwhile, their competitors are advancing: producing more, spending less, and prompting leadership to question their ability to keep pace.
Compounding the issue, SkillWorks’cost-cutting measures have stripped back its HR tech stack to its bare bones. They are left with compliance tools, background checks, and an Applicant Tracking System.
They lack the essential tools for talent intelligence, skills analysis, and workforce planning.
The situation feels overwhelming, even impossible. But with the right strategy, it could be the beginning of a remarkable transformation.
A Skills-Based Approach: Turning Disruption Into Resilience
Amid this chaos, one thing is clear: the path forward isn’t about cutting roles out of the business for the sake of cutting or hiring merely to fill gaps. It’s about adopting a skills-based approach to workforce planning. Here’s how we believe SkillWorks can transform disruption into a sustainable path forward:
1. Turn Redundancies into Opportunities with Redeployment
Before making external hires, assess the existing talent pool. Instead of immediately letting go of 50 employees, initiate a skills audit:
- Who possesses transferable skills?
- Which employees could transition into these new roles with appropriate support?
- Who can up-skill or re-skill swiftly?
Skills intelligence tools can uncover hidden talent within the organisation, transforming potential redundancies into opportunities for redeployment. For example, a major retail chain used skills intelligence tools to redeploy customer service employees into logistics roles, saving £500,000 in recruitment, redundancy and background-check costs, while improving employee morale. This approach is cost-effective, it preserves institutional knowledge and eases transitions for all involved.
2. Sharpen Your Hiring Strategy for Maximum Impact
With a stagnant budget and tight timelines, a scattergun hiring approach is untenable. It’s time to redefine roles — not by outdated job titles, but by the skills the organisation truly needs.
Imagine replacing traditional job descriptions with dynamic “skills clusters” that reflect real-time industry demands. This strategy would:
- Focus hiring on critical needs.
- Eliminate time wasted on unsuitable candidates.
- Provide leadership with clear workforce priorities.
According to LinkedIn’s Global Talent Trends report, 74% of companies say re-skilling their workforce is a top priority, but only 38% have a clear strategy for achieving it. By focusing on skills clusters, organisations can bridge this gap effectively.
3. Make Re-skilling a Strategic Priority
Hiring externally for all 20 roles isn’t feasible — re-skilling serves as the bridge between layoffs and growth. Even if 10 roles are filled internally, targeted training programs prepare employees for the complexities of their new positions.
This isn’t just about cost savings. It’s a powerful message: growth doesn’t have to mean leaving people behind.
4. Empower Employees with Support Systems for Change
Change on this scale can’t happen in isolation. It demands robust support for managers and employees alike. That includes:
- Clear, transparent communication.
- Mental health resources for those affected by layoffs.
- Development pathways for employees being redeployed or re-skilled.
When employees feel supported, they are more likely to embrace the transition—and help the organisation emerge stronger.
Finding Clarity Amid Complexity
At Skillsminer, we are tackling productivity challenges faced by the public and private sectors. Growth and disruption may feel like opposing forces, but a skills-based strategy—underpinned by the right processes and leadership commitment—offers a way forward.
Here’s how to turn paradox into progress:
- Start with what you have. Conduct a skills inventory before making any decisions. The talent you need might already be in the building.
- Focus on outcomes. Don’t rely on tools alone; what matters most is a clear, actionable process for aligning skills with organisational needs.
- Think long-term. Even in crisis, every decision should lay the groundwork for a more adaptable workforce.
Navigating this path isn’t easy, but it is possible. If you are faced with the same dilemma or would like to explore how skills can support your workforce strategy contact Skillsminer to get started!