Have you been ‘buzzed’ out of a job?
BY Mike
Foti
I was recently at a chamber of commerce meeting and ran into a woman who said
that her and her husband had started a new business together. When I asked her
why she said he had been “restructured.”
A friend of mine received a telephone call from their supervisor one day to be
told before he was rushing out to a meeting that “the company was going in a
different direction” and that he could clean his desk out.
In addition I have heard others say they have been “downsized,” “right-sized,”
or they were deemed to “not be a strategic fit with the organization.”
What has happened in our companies’ today that we think it is ok to handle
traumatic events in other people’s lives by dehumanizing the experience by using
corporate “buzz” words? Where have the genuine people gone? What sort of message
does this treatment of people that have been released send to the rest of the
“team?” If we treat people this way do we even have a team, or do we have a
bunch of “free agents” collecting paychecks until they move onto their next
“team?”
Why are we doing this?
There are a myriad of reasons we are acting this way in business today but here
are some of the top ones in my opinion:
-
Easy way out – It is easiest to take the human
emotion out of the equation if you are on the “dishing out” end and not the
receiving end. After all it is not our families’ mortgage payment that may be
put in peril.
-
It takes longer to be human – To release someone
from the company and explain our decision takes longer in the short run.
During a very emotional meeting we have to explain and justify our actions to
someone who generally does not agree with us.
-
It’s not our decision so why take the grief – If
the decision comes from higher up we may not feel that we should be the ones
responsible for delivering the bad news.
How do we brake out of the rut?
It is easy to identify the rut that we have gotten ourselves into, but the more
critical question is how do we break ourselves of these habits? How can we
motivate ourselves first to change, and then to implement new ways of doing
things that make sense?
-
“Scared straight” – For some
organization’s to brake out of this bad habit they will first need to be
“scared straight” to borrow the terminology used in drug rehabilitation
programs. There is not a problem until we admit there is a problem. For
companies’ to be scared straight they will eventually come to the realization
after losing a significant number of people, sales and market share declines,
and negative trends in profit that things are going awry.
-
Competition and cost of retraining – The
competition for quality people has never been greater. The cost of retraining
averages $9000 per employee. If we hope to keep the great people in our
organization we will have a better chance if we treat those we have chosen to
move out of the organization with dignity. Do we treat them as the “dearly
departed” or as “road kill?”
We know that we need to change but how do we do it?
How can we treat both the people coming and going with dignity? Here are some
strategies to consider:
-
Honest face- to- face communications –
don’t try to “candy coat” the situation or dehumanize it with corporate “buzz”
words. Explain the bad news in plain English despite the initial how difficult
it is. Let the person know that you empathize with their situation, but still
do appreciate the positive contributions that they have made to the company.
-
Offer help – this help can come in many
forms and needs to be fair given their contribution, dedication, and programs
that the company has in place. Some ideas to consider are severance pay, free
administrative services, a financial credit to be used a company that helps
with resumes and/or career counseling etc.
-
Consider other places in the company – if
appropriate there may be another location, division, or functional group to
consider. Ask the person what their interests are, and short and long term
objectives. Sometimes this interactive process may surprise you.
It is tough to deliver and to receive bad news. The
main thing to remember is that all people deserve their dignity and self esteem.
If we live by the Golden Rule (Do unto others as we would want to be done unto)
as our guide difficult things will be done with a lot more aplomb and
compassion, which will in turn help us to grow the strength of our team.
If you would like to have Mike speak to your group consider the following
programs:
Constructing the Framework of Success
Motivation - Begins with Me; Grows with We
Running the Race of Life with Purpose
If you want to get Mike's insights on this topic in one on one sessions
click here.
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Mike Foti is Chief Executive Officer of Cleveland Glass Block (a
Northcoast 99 recipient for best employers in Northeast Ohio and a Community
Pillar Award winner for community service) and President of Leadership Builders.
Mike is a national speaker, writer, and consultant who helps individuals and
companies get results through people. To ask Mike how he might help you, or to
receive his free tips and leadership articles, call 216-531-6085 or visit his
web site at
www.leadershipbuilders.com.
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