Incentive - September 2008 - (Page 56) With so many details to handle during a layoff, don’t forget these critical things that can motivate remaining staff: M O R E TI P S 1 Consider investing in on-site employee training, says Manny Avramidis, senior vice president, global HR, at the American Management Association in New York. “Employees have to feel some level of self-worth or value,” he says. “It keeps them engaged, gets them better at what they do, increases their confidence and [makes] them feel better about themselves. Should they lose their job, they’re still marketable.” 2 Another good idea that few companies do: Continuously keep employees apprised of the company’s financial condition. So long as employees are informed, he says there will be few surprises during rough economic times. Most employees could ask for nothing more. 3 Invite employees to become part of the solution. Instead of having managers meet behind closed doors to solve problems, why not turn to those who create the products or service their customers? He suggests listing all challenges on a whiteboard during brainstorming sessions. In the end, he says, management may discover that their trouble doesn’t stem from their $5 cup of coffee but the bagels that are priced too high. 4 “Exiting staff pays a lot of attention as to how their friends and family have exited before them,” Avramidis says. “That will weigh heavily on their mind as to what sort of effort they’re going to put forth. Will they show up to work and do the best possible job they can or with their mind on their next interview? That’s the difference.” see how they could be more productive. “We did have lots of meetings,” Canales says. “We told them that people were offered fair transition services, that we had a good strategic plan in place with the right amount of staff. We said, ‘We’re happy to have you here and want to know what we can do to make you feel more comfortable.’” Since then, she says, managers constantly engage employees by encouraging them to come forward with creative ideas on how their office could be more efficient. “That’s motivating, because people are starting to see that what they say matters,” Canales says. “We’ll keep ask- Lieberman, who owns a business consulting firm that bears her name in Albany, Calif. “There’s resentment, and they get very paranoid. HR needs to stand up for those being laid off in terms of how they’re treated and the benefits they get.” As an example, she points to one technology company that hired her several years ago to deal with the aftermath of a layoff. The company laid off more than 200 people, many of whom were preparing for retirement. They received no benefits except outplacement services for one day. Security guards escorted them out of the building. Senior management didn’t ing [for their input] and where possible, use it to [impact] the strategy of the firm to serve our clients and talent well, to keep the talent we have here, keeping them happy and engaged.” Open Communication Many companies still believe it’s best to provide employees with minimal information about layoffs to prevent them from talking about it. But just the opposite is true. “In the absence of information, people make up stuff and panic,” says Simma provide any explanations or communicate with existing staff about what had occurred, which turned otherwise loyal employees against the company. “It was horrific what the company had done,” says Lieberman. “The remaining employees were so demoralized. I couldn’t fix it.” Not every layoff is a one-time deal. Companies frequently engage in several rounds that create workplace anxiety and tension, which in turn negatively impacts the workforce. Back in the early 1990s, when Ron McKinley was the vice president of Long John Silver’s fast-service seafood chain, he says half of the 600 employees at the company’s headquarters lost their jobs through a series of layoffs. Tensions rose. Some employees started to panic. So McKinley went from unit to unit, talking with employees in small groups. “I said, ‘The very best thing anybody can do to prevent being laid off is to do his job well,’”says McKinley, now vice president of HR at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Ohio. For some, just talking it out helped relieve their anxiety. For others who were more visibly stressed, he told them they could be jeopardizing their health and suggested that if they wanted to quit, HR would help them write a résumé and find another job. This type of approach demonstrates compassion. He says it helps employees have closure and gracefully exit the workplace with their selfrespect and dignity intact. The same holds true for employees who will not be laid off. HR needs to engage them in conversations, too. Tell them that they won’t be affected and to keep performing at their high level, which at the very least, will boost their morale. Meanwhile, McKinley suggests that HR cover its bases by administering a few small “pulse” surveys. He says that’s partly how his department finds out about employee confusion, ugly rumors or if there are employees—such as new hires—who are in the dark. Nothing can de-motivate employees more than a layoff gone wrong. s Send comments to feedback@incentivemag.com
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