When redundancies need to be made within a company, it can be the "moment of truth" for human resources (HR) departments, it has been claimed.
According to Business Week, HR should play an important role in an organisation's hiring, appraisal and development processes.
This is instead of being assigned menial or mundane tasks such as preparing newsletters and dealing with benefits.
The publication also recommends that employees are treated with the same kind of attention and dignity they are given when they first start working for a firm.
"In the hours and days after being let go, people need to vent and it is HR's job to be completely available to console," Business Week continues.
Meanwhile, in February the Monster Employment index revealed that online recruitment activity in the management and consultancy sectors is on the increase in the UK.