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The dismissions of the last period take place as discreet, as painful: without union protests, without jams or tense meetings in the conference room. Everything is carried out in an impersonal, polite, almost sterile way-often by a neutral email with the subject "Team update ”which essentially means "You are no longer part of it. " The specialists consulted by "Adevărul" have specified what are the most affected areas of redundancies and what employees and employers should do to recover. "In the last period, the wave of restructuring strongly affects the IT, retail, production, auto industry and Shared Services (BPO/SSC) centers. The most common reasons are the directives from global level, cost reduction, process automation and internal reorganizations after fusion or changes in strategy. Organizations that take advantage of context and create new positions.declared for "truth"Mihaela Ancu, It Recruiter at Human Connection. According to her, the emotional impact for the affected is major: the feeling of injustice, the loss of the balance built in years and the impression that they are not valuable to be kept. "In order to facilitate the integration of this difficult news, it is preferable that the message be transmitted by the direct manager, with empathy, the recognition of the effort made until then and accompanied by real support measures: compensations, recommendations and outplace programs. As for the employees, our advice is to start in time to prospect the labor market, to update their CV, to be active on professional networks and on job platforms and to participate in interviews periodically. I interviewed people who worked in the same company for 20 years and for which the news of the restructuring was a shock of proportions. It is important to know at any time how "employable" they are, in a labor market in a continuous transformation "added Mihaela Ancu.
Employees need to quickly activate their contact network
Another specialist presented for the "truth" some essential notions that can help people find a job faster. According to Oanea Urse, career consultant, the most affected areas in Romania are automotive, IT and certain branches of export oriented production, and the dismissals come from a mix of factors: decrease of external demand, increased costs and strategic changes dictated by parent companies. More and more, we see reorganizations generated by automation and integration, and in some cases, the office return policy is used as a natural team reduction filter. "The way these decisions are communicated can be improved. Standard messages or notifications transmitted suddenly can influence the perception and confidence in the company. A more effective approach would include transparency, clear explanations and impact, as well as sufficient time for the affected people to find alternatives. Companies I recommend to treat dismissal as a respectful "offboard" process: to provide reconversion, internal relocation or recommendations and to involve direct leaders, not just HR. There is a risk of losing important domestic human capital. Good people are not only withheld with salary, but also with respect, healthy culture and real reasons not to leave. I would tell the employees to activate their contact network quickly, to clarify their compensatory terms and benefits and to look at the areas that still hire-construction, logistics, horeca, medical services. A dismissal is not a road end, but it can be the starting point for a better professional repositioning ”told "Adevărul" Oana Urse, a career consultant.
Tendency of collective redundancies
"In the country, factories are closed or companies are relocated to other states with more friendly taxation. Other causes are the adoption of artificial intelligence and reduce costs. The trend is of collective dismissions, but also for restrictions/meridle management on the organizational chart of companies ”said for "the truth Ioana Rus Nastea, consultant in the labor law and the founder of the Agercont group of companies. The specialist recommends companies to communicate openly and transparently the reasons for dismissal and the situation of the company, so that they are also mentioned in the notification of the collective dismissal or notice notification. In her opinion, it is advisable to offer some financial compensation packages suitable for those who leave the company, including alternatives of new jobs. Managers should support support for remaining employees, to avoid creating a hostile environment, but also evaluating the team after leaving the fired. In what prioritizes the dismissed employees, they should verify the correctness of the notice period, the existence of financial compensations and the reasons for dismissal. Also, the dismissed employees must verify the days of leave not made, which will be compulsory compensated in money upon receipt of the termination decision; to resort to legal assistance, if necessary, and consider appealing the decision in court, but also to submit the CV on the recruitment sites and to send it to the recruitment agents from the moment of receiving the notification
When politeness can hide abuse
In theory, the Romanian Labor Code, completed by the European directives, offers employees solid guarantees: a minimum notice of 20 working days, consulting unions in the case of collective dissemination, objective selection criteria, etc. In practice, however, perfect papers can hide ugly realities. "We often face impeccably checked procedures. But under the perfectly aligned papers are hidden questionable motifs, unofficial pressures and cold, corporate cycling manual"Explains the lawyer Marius Stanciu, partner of Buju Stanciu & Associations. A recent case perfectly illustrates this break between appearance and reality. A manager with over eight years of old age receives the news of "reorganization"- with all the perfect documents. Two months later, the post reappears in the organizational chart, slightly renamed. No one seemed surprised, apart from the former holder. „It took a firm legal approach, followed by a pragmatic negotiation, in which the company understood that a process would bring not only significant costs, but also negative exposure in the press. The result? Our customer has achieved a substantial compensation and has retained its reputation intact", Says Victor Buju about the denomination of this case.
From tool to the actor
In many companies, the employee is regarded as a tool from the warehouse - a "asset"Useful as long as it produces profit. However, in the European Union, the employee is not and cannot be considered an inventory object, but an actor with role and clear rights. „The problem is that few employees realize they have this status. In front of a big employer, I feel they have no power. The reality is reverse: precisely the big companies are the most sensitive to processes and the risk of image", stresses Marius Stanciu.
The formal observance of the procedure does not exclude the employee's right to request explanations and to negotiate a fair result. To avoid time consumption and unnecessary tensions, many companies opt for amicable and proportional solutions, based on law and an open dialog- all the more so when both parties are well informed.
What can you do concretely if you receive the "email" of dismissal
- Not sign anything in place- no matter how harmless the document would seem
- Requires all justifications- not only the official decision, but also the internal criteria and notes that were the basis of it
- Talk to a lawyer before reacting- often, a firm but civilized tone can open the negotiation door without reaching court
- Think strategically- decides what you want: reintegration in office, compensation or just extra time to ensure your next professional step.
For employers: What a "clean" procedure looks like in reality
- Business decision is clearly documented (diagnosis + alternatives analyzed)
- Criteria are objective, verifiable and consistently applied
- Reorganization is real (not a simple post renaming)
- Realization/Downsizing offers are honestly discussed with clear terms
- Internal communication protects team morale and employer brand
- The agreements are proportional and confidential, without abusive clauses.
