In A Recession, Bad Managers Make Things Even Worse

3 Aug

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I recently analyzed employee engagement surveys for two different employers. In both cases I found a group of employees who had significantly lower results than the rest of the company. As I dug deeper into the results, including the anecdotal comments, the same problem in both employers become clear:

Bad, rogue management.

What sickened me most was what these rogue managers were doing to “motivate” employees in the midst of this economic crisis. In both cases they were telling employees:

 “you better keep your nose to the grindstone, because if you don’t I can hire a dozen others just like you who don’t have a job. And don’t making any demands, because I’m in charge here.”

Could someone please tell me why ANYONE would think this strategy is going to make sense for these businesses now or, importantly, in the future?

Nauseating.

Our research tells us there are other employers who are not subscribing to this kind of fear mongering and are, in fact, managing in a more engaging manner and, in doing so, achieving outstanding results.

The “you-bet-your-job” attitude on the part of some so-called leaders isn’t the cure to our economic woes.

For more information on what some outstanding employers are doing to engage employee in difficult economic times please read Beating the Bear Market with Engaged Employees

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Recession or No, Invest In Your People

3 Aug

Very good article today at TheStar.com  about taking care of employees through the transition period to economic recovery. The article states:

And even though it could take up to two years for a real labour market revival, it would be a mistake for companies to assume they have the upper hand over their staff. In fact, businesses should be taking action now to ensure their best workers remain engaged, says Terry Power, president of staffing firm Randstad Canada.

“When you’re in a recession, the trend typically becomes one of `do more with less.’ And inevitably that means a little more stress on your people,” Power said.

“The people in those situations that tend to step up and do the most for you … are your best people. And often times, though, that gets kind of taken for granted.”

That means managers should not simply assume their star employees are coping well with weighty issues such as heavier workloads or the loss of colleagues through layoffs. Although many businesses are squeezing their staff through painful cost controls right now, good quality companies will also take the initiative to provide some sort of longer-term payoff – even if it is not a cash-based reward.

This is the time to invest in your people. I know the economy is a challenge for many businesses, but there are creative ways we can help our associates grow and know they are valued. The employers that engage their employees now will have a much better chance of coming out of this recession with those valued employee still on board instead of working for the competition.

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Survival Tips For Layoff Survivors

17 Apr

Excellent post by Susan M. Heathfield at About.Com if you are one of the so-called “survivors” of a layoff. Please read carefully and share with those who may find themselves in this situation. We often worry (as we should) about those who lose their jobs, but should also consider what can be done to assist those who may have more work on their desk because of the reduction and are wondering when the pink slip will hit their desk:

  • Recognize that your emotions are legitimate and that time passing is necessary for the intensity of your current emotional response to die down. In organizations where managers recognize and acknowledge this emotional component in a downsizing, employees return to productivity much sooner.
  • Recognize that you may need to experience each of the stages of loss described in Kubler-Ross’s groundbreaking studies about grief.
  • Seek access to your supervisor; assuming your supervisor is readily available and perceived by you as concerned about employees, and honest, reliable and competent, your time with your supervisor should help you feel reassured.
  • Attempt to recreate the daily patterns you experienced prior to the layoffs. While much time in an office is invested by employees in talking about the situation after layoffs, the sooner you can recreate your prior patterns, the better for your mental health.
  • Treat yourself with kindness. Now is the time to eat a portion of your favorite comfort food. Got chocolate? Share with coworkers. Bring in a casserole or cookies that coworkers can share. Small gestures mean a lot in the post layoffs workplace.
  • Talk out your feelings with coworkers who are likely experiencing loss just as you are. You can comfort one another. Your significant others outside of your workplace make good sounding boards, too.
  • Pay attention to the needs of the coworkers who were laid off. These are your friends and they are experiencing serious issues with self-worth and loss, too. So many people tie up so much of their identity and self esteem in what they do for a living that a layoff is a major blow to their sense of themselves, their competence and self worth. You do them a kindness, and you will feel better, too, if you continue your weekly lunch date with your laid off coworker. Let your laid off former coworker vent and listen to see how you can lend support. Sometimes, active listening is all they need.
  • You will feel as if you have a proactive mission and purpose when you connect your laid off coworkers to your connections on Facebook, LinkedIn, and the other online social networks. Anything you can do to help them expand their networks and effectively job search will be valued by your friends.
  • Communication is critical following a layoff. But, remember that the middle managers who would generally communicate are also experiencing loss and concern about their own jobs. (Often managers are the first to be laid off.) If you are not receiving the communication you need from your manager, seek it out by asking questions and spending time with him or her. Go after what you need; don’t wait for communication to flow downwards.
  • Hopefully, your organization has recognized the importance of valuing the remaining employees. But, if the opportunities for reward, recognition and valuing seem slim, volunteer to head up an employee morale committee. The committee can do much to bring fun and motivation back into the workplace following layoffs. Think ice cream socials, popcorn machines, and potluck lunches; the activities don’t need to be expensive.
  • If you are taking these steps but you are feeling increasingly worried and depressed, seek professional assistance through your Employee Assistance Plan (EAP) or use your private insurance to cover counseling.

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On Learning Organizations

10 Apr

The concept, the barriers, and the application:

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High Potential Employee???

28 Mar

This guy is bringing the sales-per-employee way, way, down…

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Engage Thyself

27 Mar

headed-up

I encourage you to read an article at Talent Management that discusses the importance of engaging yourself in the workplace. The advice is practical and timely:

Correcting the Imbalance
By first accepting some ownership for one’s own engagement, what can the employee do to enhance their own engagement levels? Employees can consider the following 11 tactical tips:

  • Adopt a more positive can-do attitude typically seen among those workers considered engaged, who seem universally appreciated by both peers and management. Try to eschew the chosen victimhood typically exhibited by the actively disengaged and, to some extent, the ambivalent, “quit and stay” or “clockwatching” employee.
    This choice is much like the quote, “Luck is where preparation meets opportunity.” Attributed on the Internet to everyone from Vince Lombardi to Denzel Washington, this sage quote illustrates the point: Why not make your own luck, as opposed to waiting for it to find you?
  • Accept some ownership for being proud of where you work. Certainly, companies can employ measures that build employee pride in the organization, a centerpiece driver and measure of engagement. With that said, an employee can also participate in fostering that pride. For example, the employee might participate in, or lead, a community outreach or volunteer program potentially sponsored by their employers. As another example, an employee could volunteer to act as a sounding board for job candidates considering employment at the organization.
  • Ask for clarification if instructions from your supervisor are somehow unclear. This method is preferred over the behavior of complaining when one feels they are not given clear instructions.
  • Set yourself up to be recognized. Often, managers and supervisors can be prompted to publicly recognize an employee for a job well done if the employee simply asks for feedback: “How do you feel I did on that project? Did my work fulfill what you were looking for?”
  • Request a career planning meeting with your manager. Structure the dialogue such that your job duties are tailored to what you do best, what you are eager to learn and, ultimately, how this can be aligned with your career growth and personal objectives.
  • Get to know your senior leadership. Attend their town hall meetings. Ask questions of them and get them to know you, personally and professionally.
  • Actively participate in, and contribute to, decisions that affect your work environment.
  • Ask for feedback about your work performance and act on it.
  • If you don’t have the tools/resources to perform your job effectively, ask for them.
  • Believe in yourself and in your ability to contribute to the organization’s success, no matter what your job function.
  • Seek learning, knowledge and satisfaction from your co-workers, and most of all, don’t forget to instill Fun into your everyday work activities. Co-worker satisfaction is the unsung hero of retention.

(Graphic courtesy www.lumaxart.com)

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In a Downturn, Provoke Your Customers???

25 Mar

provoke

There’s a fascinating article in the Harvard Business Review Online with this “provocative” title. It suggests that selling in a more traditional way– find a point of pain and address it– may not work in the current B to B environment. The authors discuss being provocative, which includes the following elements:

To begin a provocation-based sale, you must do three things well: identify a problem that will resonate with a line executive in the target organization; develop a provocative point of view about that problem (one that links, naturally, to what your company has to offer); and lodge that provocation with a decision maker who can take the implied action.

The article discusses how to go about these steps, and offers examples of companies that have used the approach. I think HR executives could take a similar approach to “selling” the value of HR in these challenging times. Some leaders may be willing to abandon good human capital practices to “save money”, which is exactly the wrongdirection to go. For those of us committed to building great workplaces– because we know that is one key ingredient right now– let’s be provocative!

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Being Flexible To Employee Needs Takes Great Management

17 Mar

flexible

I just returned from working with my co-author Leigh Branham at an event where we judged employers on how “family friendly” they were. The event allowed us to review employee survey data on the topic and interview leaders and employees of participating companies.

One employer particularly impressed me with their willingness to be flexible when it came to allowing employees to attend to family needs. There was little resistence to reasonable requests to time off, even at the last moment. I was told a story of how a valued employee was given a day off before a big customer event the next day when the business would likely be quite busy– the manager didn’t seem to even break a sweat about the matter. As you might expect, employees were genuinely appreciative of the committment of the management, and little was reported in terms of employees taking advantage or “gaming”– most employees were grateful for the kindness and returned the consideration with increased productivity and retention.

That’s all fine and well, but what really struck me was how much effort had gone into the results I was observing. The ability to be flexible was the outcome of years of great management. A few observations:

  • The ability of management to be flexible to employee requests required that many employees had been cross-trained for different roles in the business.
  • Employee turnover was very low. You can cross-train employees more effectively in a stable workforce.
  • The philosophy of the leadership in this business was to trust employees. If there were performance problems those would certainly be addressed, but giving trust to employees brought trust back many-fold.

Some managers may like the idea of being more family-friendly and have a desire in accommodating the personal needs of those whom they manage. To effectively implement a concept may require years of carefully designed management– time to get to work.

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How NOT To Conduct A Job Interview

14 Mar

Alas, many go exactly this way… have you checked out how HR is representing your company?

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Winning At Wellness

11 Mar

award

The online Insurance Journal showcases a company, Texas Mutual, that was one of ten companies recently recognized for their wellness programs.

Our research continues to show concern on the part of an employer for the well being of employees to be a significant driver of overall employee enagagement. Developing and implementing a wellness program is only one way an employer might show care and concern for this engagement driver, but we think it’s an important effort in this category.

I’m pleased that my new employer, the Silverstone Group, actively promotes wellness in the workplace. I’ve already seen the benefits of their efforts up front and personal. I encouage all employers to seriously consider wellness as a key component of their overall engagement strategy. Besides, the cost-benefit to an employer, regardless of impact on employee engagement, is more than worth the effort.

(Graphic courtesy of www.lumaxart.com)

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