Following on from last months theme .....
The media is full of the impending recession and the affects of the credit crunch. Everyday there are new stories of beleaguered organisations that are struggling to survive. If you do not feel it directly then you are feeling it indirectly through customers, suppliers and competitors.
So what do the managers in your organisation need to be doing to support your people through these changing times?
Often it is assumed that managers have all the skills needed to support people in times of change. This isn’t always the case. It is not a set of skills that management teams automatically have because they have been given the title ‘Manager’! And it is a healthy practise to be asking at times like this; do your management team know how to prepare themselves for what ever the future might hold?
How well informed are your people about what is really happening to your organisation at this time? If managers do not provide clear and unambiguous communications on a regular basis – people will make it up for themselves. They will see or interpret significance in everything that the management team do and say. From whether they buy new cars through to changing the brand of toilet paper in the wash rooms.
You need your people to see a positive approach from the management team. One that tells them about new initiatives that the management team are implementing that will increase productivity or will increase sales. Make it clear why they are being introduced and the part they play. Try not to emphasis merely the cost cutting initiatives and the reason for a reduction in your output.
If it is foreseen that redundancies will happen then make sure that people understand what that actually means within your organisation. For example, what is the redundancy policy? What support can they expect from the management team? The greater clarity you can provide the more able people are to cope successfully what ever the changing environment may bring.
If redundancies happen, the management team need to understand the effect it will have on those that are left behind. Survivors need to be ready and motivated to take your business forward as soon as any restructures are complete. This means managers need to understand the support and challenge that their teams will need from them in the days ahead.
When things get tough, managers look for quick cost cutting exercises such as stopping free vend in the drinks machine. It will produce a cost saving now at the risk of causing morale, motivation and responsibility to drop. Productivity and service quality will fall when you really need stability most. In the long term it is imperative that you build a loyal and committed workforce that understand the predicaments of the business and are prepared to support your business in the future
Managers need to be able to inform and support their teams during uncertain times. More than ever before managers need to work as managers and provide direction and support so that teams are prepared to continue to deliver your product and service within the most challenging markets.
So the message here is simple. During this period of economic turmoil make sure your managers know how to maintain commitment through keeping communication channels open and working. Remain positive, realistic and honest and above all encourage your teams to work together in keeping your business viable during the year ahead.
So what do the managers in your organisation need to be doing to support your people through these changing times?
Often it is assumed that managers have all the skills needed to support people in times of change. This isn’t always the case. It is not a set of skills that management teams automatically have because they have been given the title ‘Manager’! And it is a healthy practise to be asking at times like this; do your management team know how to prepare themselves for what ever the future might hold?
How well informed are your people about what is really happening to your organisation at this time? If managers do not provide clear and unambiguous communications on a regular basis – people will make it up for themselves. They will see or interpret significance in everything that the management team do and say. From whether they buy new cars through to changing the brand of toilet paper in the wash rooms.
You need your people to see a positive approach from the management team. One that tells them about new initiatives that the management team are implementing that will increase productivity or will increase sales. Make it clear why they are being introduced and the part they play. Try not to emphasis merely the cost cutting initiatives and the reason for a reduction in your output.
If it is foreseen that redundancies will happen then make sure that people understand what that actually means within your organisation. For example, what is the redundancy policy? What support can they expect from the management team? The greater clarity you can provide the more able people are to cope successfully what ever the changing environment may bring.
If redundancies happen, the management team need to understand the effect it will have on those that are left behind. Survivors need to be ready and motivated to take your business forward as soon as any restructures are complete. This means managers need to understand the support and challenge that their teams will need from them in the days ahead.
When things get tough, managers look for quick cost cutting exercises such as stopping free vend in the drinks machine. It will produce a cost saving now at the risk of causing morale, motivation and responsibility to drop. Productivity and service quality will fall when you really need stability most. In the long term it is imperative that you build a loyal and committed workforce that understand the predicaments of the business and are prepared to support your business in the future
Managers need to be able to inform and support their teams during uncertain times. More than ever before managers need to work as managers and provide direction and support so that teams are prepared to continue to deliver your product and service within the most challenging markets.
So the message here is simple. During this period of economic turmoil make sure your managers know how to maintain commitment through keeping communication channels open and working. Remain positive, realistic and honest and above all encourage your teams to work together in keeping your business viable during the year ahead.
