Leaders taking stock of their organizations are breathing sighs of relief: Layoffs and other cost-saving maneuvers are in place to ease the bottom line, only the most efficient workers remain on the payroll, and the current employees are more than capable of getting the job done. Whoa! While you may think that reducing your workforce is the most difficult part of the job, your work is not yet finished. Now you have to ensure that the company's most important work continues to be done. Leaders mistakenly believe that the employees who remain after a layoff will work harder because they are grateful that they still have a job. This is not necessarily so. In fact,many will feel bitter and overwhelmed because their workload has increased. At the same time, they struggle with the fear that they might be the next to lose their jobs. Uncertain times call for even stronger leadership.
Just as decision makers cannot afford to think that nothing else will change once the workforce is reduced, they must also ensure that remaining workers understand that change is inevitable. You must decide how to redeploy workers to other duties and how to upgrade their training even when the development budget is gone. You need a plan that ensures the company will keep going amidst the downturn. This task is easier if you understand your workers' strengths, weaknesses and interests.
Asking
the following questions can lead you to the right answers as you
retrain your employees to use their full potential in this new
landscape.
Is the structure of our organization aligned with our business goals and strategies? Remember,every task requires someone to perform it. Employees can and should multi-task, but expectations must be realistic. Make sure that you're not piling all the weight on the shoulders of one or two employees. Ask yourself which duties are daily necessities and which can gound one for a day, a week, or longer. Some tasks may not be completed until the economy improves. Create a written plan that outlines the necessary duties and who will be responsible for them.
Are our departmental goals consistent with our business goals?
Is one part of our company doing business the same old way while the world changes around it? Are we still ordering the most expensive supplies in one department while another department makes do? Are we using the most efficient ordering process? Communication can be uneven in both large and small organizations, but all departments must grasp the message that we are not doing business as usual. Changing only some parts of a business is like changing only half the spark plugs in your car.
Are our job goals consistent with our departmental goals? Once a department has realigned itself with the goals of the business, we must examine individual job descriptions to make sure employees are performing essential tasks instead of those that can be done later--or not at all. Remember, change is the by word. This may require retraining and frequent reminders to employees who have always done things a certain way.
Do we have redundant accountabilities? Are two employees, perhaps in different departments or working on different shifts, doing the same job? Examine what each employee is doing and find a new purpose for those employees whose tasks are redundant.
Article by Jim Sirbasku, Profiles International.
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