Best Practices in Managing Reductions in Force: Lessons Learned From the Australian Public Service Reform Article

Holzer, M, Lee, SH, Newman, MA. (2003). Best Practices in Managing Reductions in Force: Lessons Learned From the Australian Public Service Reform . REVIEW OF PUBLIC PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATION, 23(1), 38-60. 10.1177/0734371X02250114

cited authors

  • Holzer, M; Lee, SH; Newman, MA

authors

abstract

  • Confronted by limited resources and the pressures of cutback management, reductions in force (RIFs) have received much attention from both practitioners and scholars in the public sector in recent years. It has often been argued that a RIF constitutes a very difficult task for administrators, who are universally reluctant to lay off personnel, and that enormous levels of organizational stress are experienced when workforce reductions become necessary. Nevertheless, a strategically planned RIF, along with other productivity improvement strategies, may help conserve valuable human resources even in uncommonly bad economic times. This article examines best practices followed in managing a RIF in the Australian Public Service and suggests factors that should be considered for successful RIF processes in the public sector elsewhere, should the necessity arise. © 2003, SAGE Publications. All rights reserved.

publication date

  • January 1, 2003

published in

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

start page

  • 38

end page

  • 60

volume

  • 23

issue

  • 1