Description: Get ready for an enlightening episode where we've got some valuable lessons to share from the past few years. You know what they say: being prepared pays off! This episode will help you gear up and be recession ready. We're not saying you need to start panicking right now, but it's always wise to have a plan tucked away just in case a recession hits—whether it's this year, next year, or who knows when! Think of it like having a disaster recovery plan or a crisis management strategy. We want you to have that "what if" plan in your back pocket, ready to tackle any changes, control expenses, or adjust if needed. It's all about being proactive! Today, we're lucky to have two fantastic guests with us: Amy Whittenberger, an HR Business Advisor and Subject Matter Expert from our MRA Hotline, and Susan Abler, MS, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, Member Relations Advisor & Director of Outplacement. They're here to take us through exciting "What If" scenarios. We'll cover everything from smart capacity strategies and finding or nurturing talent to retaining employees, keeping them motivated, and ensuring their overall well-being. And hey, we'll even dive into the tough questions about potential workforce reductions if things get real. Resources: 2023 Economic Outlook  Outplacement and Career Transitions  HR Hotline  MRA Membership  About MRA  Let's Connect: Guest Bio - Susan Abler  Guest LinkedIn Profile - Susan Abler  Guest Bio - Amy Whittenberger  Guest LinkedIn Profile - Amy Whittenberger  Host Bio - Sophie Boler  Host LinkedIn Profile - Sophie Boler  Transcript: Transcripts are computer generated -- not 100% accurate word-for-word. 00:00:00:00 - 00:00:21:03UnknownHello everybody and welcome to 30 minute Thrive, your go to podcast for anything and everything HR, powered by MRA, the Management Association. Looking to stay on top of the ever changing world of nature. MRA has got you covered. We'll be the first to tell you what's hot and what's not. I'm your host, Sophie Boler, and we are so glad you're here. 00:00:21:05 - 00:00:47:00UnknownNow it's time to thrive. Well, we have learned many lessons these past two years, but one of the most important lessons is that it pays to be prepared. So for this podcast episode, we are going to help you prepare and be recession ready in. While we are not saying that you need to be ready right now, whether a recession hits later this year or next year or whenever, it's just best to have a plan in your back pocket. 00:00:47:02 - 00:01:19:23UnknownSo today we are joined by Amy Whittenberger our business advisor and subject matter expert from our MRA hotline, and Susan Adler, member relations advisor and director of outplacement, will help us take a look at some what if plans, along with the tough questions, if and when it might come time for reductions in your workforce. So one of the best ways to be recession ready is really to prepare Now by optimizing your workforce and optimizing your workforce now helps you focus on long term success. 00:01:19:23 - 00:01:43:15UnknownSo you will come out stronger after a recession. So, Amy, let's start out by asking, do you have any suggestions for companies seeking cost saving opportunities within the workforce? Yeah, I do. In fact, just recently at one of the roundtables I facilitated for Mra. For our h.r. Group, we talked about this exact topic, just, you know, cost savings, you know, ideas. 00:01:43:17 - 00:02:15:06UnknownSome of the things that came up in our conversation were first, you know, is get everyone involved. So saving money, having great ideas, you know, challenge all of your employees to participate in this and help the company. And reward them, you know, when they have great ideas for saving money. So get your employees involved. And then next, one of the things that we talked about is the whole idea of scheduling and time, time keeping, because that's kind of the thing that kind of falls off our radar, that can that can cost the mon