Assignment Scenario and Questions: Case:

ABC Co. is a plant-based nutritional supplement company, located in Toronto, ON. They currently have 2 product lines: 1) vegan protein powder, and 2) a multivitamin tablet. The protein powder is selling extremely well and the protein division is profitable. The multivitamins are not selling well and that division has been losing money since the product launched 3 years ago. The companys CEO has decided to stop selling multivitamins and to shut down that division; unfortunately, this will result in job losses. The CEO has determined that in addition to shutting down the multivitamin division, other key changes need to be made at this time, which are:

1) not renewing the companys office lease and becoming a fully remote workplace, and 2) implementing modern technology solutions to modernize their project management and HR systems, including: Asana and Bamboo HR. To summarize, the company is going to enter a significant change management period (closing a division, moving to a remote workplace, and enhancing the companys technology systems) AND will initiate a downsizing process.

Organizational Headcount Summary:

Executive leadership team: CEO, CFO, CHRO, CSO (chief science officer), CMO (chief marketing officer)

Finance: Director of Finance, Manager of Finance, Accountant (dedicated to Protein division), Accountant (dedicated to Multivitamin division)

Production: Production Manager (Protein), Production Manager (Multivitamin), 15 Production Associates (Protein), 9 Production Associates (Multivitamin)

Marketing: Marketing Manager, 6 marketing coordinators who divide their time equally between the Protein and Multivitamin divisions

Human Resources: HR Manager (overseeing both divisions), HR Business Partner - Protein Division, HR Business Partner - Multivitamin Division

Sales: Sales Manager who oversees sales for both Multivitamins and Protein, 4 Sales Coordinators who divide their time equally between Protein and Multivitamins

Quality Assurance: Quality Assurance Manager who divides their time equally between Protein and Multivitamins, 3 Quality Assurance Associates who divide their time equally between Protein and Multivitamins

Research and Development: Research and Development Director (who divides their time equally between Protein and Multivitamins), Research and Development Manager (who divides their time equally between Protein and Multivitamins), and 1 Research and Development Associate (who divides their time equally between Protein and Multivitamins)

Your Role: You are the companys HR Manager, reporting to the CHRO. The CHRO and CEO have asked you to lead the change management process as well as the downsizing process. Part 1: Change Management

1. Please provide 2-4 examples of how HR can demonstrate one of the following competencies through this change management process:

a. Strategic positioner b. Credible activist c. Paradox navigator d. Communicator e. Systems thinker

2 Please describe:

a. how you would go about obtaining feedback from employees during the change management process

b. what feedback you would like employees to provide during the change management process to help you understand how the process is going i. You can simply list the specific questions that you would ask employees here

Part 2: Downsizing and Restructuring

1. Planning for downsizing a. Please identify which positions you would recommend be eliminated, provide 1-2 paragraphs explaining your rationale. i. When you are unsure of how many positions should be eliminated, you can assume that the company would like to eliminate as many positions as possible in order to maximize profitability

b. What are some of the considerations when determining how many and who will be let go?

c. What are things you can do to treat employees who lose their jobs fairly?

d. Please identify and describe 2 important factors to ensure downsizing is effective, provide an explanation for both factors.