Francis Desjardins understands that McGill community members are anxious as they await more details about layoffs.
“The uncertainty is difficult. People want to know whether their job is at risk. Will their job change? Will their workload increase?” said Desjardins, McGill’s Senior Director of Labour and Employee Relations. “We understand how stressful this situation is and are committed to providing clear answers as soon as possible.”
“These decisions are incredibly difficult because they affect the lives and families of our colleagues,” he added. “Human Resources will be offering support to departing employees and will ensure they are treated with respect and dignity.”
Next steps and transition support
Deans and unit heads are deciding how to meet their budget targets, he said: “We’re in the process of building a more complete picture, and we will notify employees by the end of April.”
Staff being laid off will meet with their manager and a Human Resources professional and can choose to be accompanied by a representative of their union or staff association.
Shortly thereafter, laid-off employees will be invited to a meeting where representatives from Service Canada, the Ministère de l’Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale, and the Ministère du Travail will explain Employment Insurance benefits and other government programs. They will also be offered outplacement services including resume-writing support and job-search counselling.
There will be no McGill retirement incentive program. However, administrative and support employees can explore phased retirement through a Temporary Alternative Work Arrangement. Eligible academic employees may also pursue phased retirement.
Moving forward
“This is hard for everyone,” Desjardins said. “People care about each other. No one wanted this to be necessary. This is a time for us all to take care of one another.”
“I also know that some people are concerned about restructuring and workload,” he added. “Our staff work very hard, and both the Provost and VP Administration & Finance have stressed that with fewer staff, we can’t continue as before. Some teams will want to revisit workloads, redistribute tasks and eliminate or streamline certain processes.”
“Managers will need to discuss these changes with their teams, reassure them about the future and encourage ideas to advance our mission,” said Desjardins. It’s an important time for supervisors and their teams to make use of training, tools and other supports to maintain both morale and effectiveness in the months to come.
The HR team is working closely with HR Advisors across campus to help support and equip managers through this process and assist their units in adapting to the changes ahead.
“Employees who have concerns should sit down with their managers and work together to address them. Additionally, employees can seek assistance from the Employee and Family Assistance Program,” said Desjardins.
Though the coming weeks will be difficult for our community, Desjardins sees reason for optimism about the future.
“These circumstances are hard, and we need to recognize that. But we also need to see this as an opportunity to rethink our work for the better,” he said.
“We’re going to take care of our people as we move on from these layoffs. And then, through Horizon McGill, we’ll look for ways to cut red tape, help things run more smoothly, and protect our academic mission.”
Access Change Management tools, tips and resources at My Healthy Workplace
Register for training at Organizational Development’s Special Spring Calendar
Read the layoff announcement.
Read the Q&A with Provost Christopher Manfredi, in which he discusses McGill’s budgetary challenges and Horizon McGill.
Read the Q&A with VP Fabrice Labeau, in which discusses the UniForum’s role in Horizon McGill initiative.
Learn more about Horizon McGill.