Downsizing

An organization has decided, in order to reduce costs and to increase organizational efficiency, to reduce their labour force via downsizing. Since they have no prior experience in downsizing activities, they have hired you, as an external HR consultant, to advise them on the most effective ways to accomplish this.

How would you actively advise them, from the start of the process to the end, and most importantly, what would you suggest that they do to minimize the negative impact on both those people who are let go and those people who are retained? Approximately 500 to 750 words