We talk about “managing the survivors” when we talk about those left behind post redundancies.
A fairly descriptive term, which probably describes more about how staff feel after their peers have left the building. The majority of managers will never talk about survivors, they tend to think that those who secured positions are the lucky ones and as a result have no heightened need for attention. This of course is not the case.
The extent to which managers have to ‘manage survivors’ will depend on how well they have managed the people leaving. Examples of redundancy payment avoidance, inconsistent treatment and unfairness will only serve to make the challenge an even greater one.
Companies can never rely on labour turnover statistics in times of recession to sit on their laurels and assume that culturally everything is fine. Actively disengaged employees can be more counter-productive than those employees who have left.
Great cultures are built on trust. It is extremely difficult to maintain the same levels of trust when any form of headcount reduction takes place. Change is best managed when it has a start and an end. As we see companies enter into rounds two or three of consultation, the processes for some employers have lasted a year or more. Culture is fragile and cannot take that kind of pressure without consequences.
Communication is typically the top area that managers fail in. Even in the good times management do not like to share bad news, even when their staff typically already know it. This is exacerbated in tough times. Managers who cannot share bad news tend to over promise and under deliver. They talk about options when there are none and they fail to engage the people left behind.
Smart companies are checking the pulse of those left behind. They are putting in place retention strategies and are investing in the future generation.
How do we ensure that our people are engaged?
1. Gauge the Culture: forget about surveys, these will only act to disengage people further. Have independent involvement in asking your staff the killer questions. How did the company handle the cost reduction? How were staff treated? Are the remaining staff planning to stay? Why would they potentially leave the company? Without the knowledge of where the culture is today its very difficult to steer the business to where you want it to be.
2. Acknowledge the Feedback: As you have asked for the feedback, accept it and acknowledge it. You may not like it, but this is the employee perception regardless. There’s nothing more damaging than defending your position when the staff are already frustrated with you.
3. Intervene and Say Sorry: If your staff tell you that you have handled the situation poorly and that the redundant staff were not managed professionally – accept it, intervene and say sorry! Staff don’t expect to see managers, apologise which is why it will have such an impact, but mean it or the staff will see through it.
4. Make Commitments: Move away from trying to run with 20 initiatives at once and commit to addressing perhaps the topthree issues that the staff have raised. Personalise it and keep updates flowing regularly.
5. Deliver on your commitments: Once your staff have told you the main issues from their perspective; you now have a great vehicle for communicating about what’s important to them. So it’s critical that you deliver on your promises. This is where the engagement is created; issues have been raised, listened to, acknowledged and resolved – a winning formula. Engagement doesn’t have to be anymore complicated.
Motivating the staff left behind is critical as they work to do more with less. So, if handling cost reduction isn’t handled right at the time, expect to pay the consequences. Rebuilding cultures should start now. If you wait, your competitors will simply overtake you.
Dean Hunter is the founder of Hunter Adams.
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