Keeping employees motivated is
always a challenge, and even more so
during difficult economic periods. If employees are walking around the company in fear of losing their jobs, their productivity and morale are bound to suffer.
“As with any type of change, experiencing a variety of emotions is part of the
process,” says Barbara Costa, senior lecturer/adjunct faculty member, who teaches
human resources courses at Fontbonne
University. “Recent studies of various
organizations have shown that during
times of change there are extremely higher
stress levels, productivity declines, and
there is less focus on goals and objectives.
It is critical that there is a flow of communication with employees to assist in any
way you can to minimize the uncertainty
and drop in morale. In addition, you should
have plans in place to ensure that everyday
tasks are being completed while changes
are occurring.”
Smart Business asked Costa for additional ways that managers and employees
can ride out the current economic storms.
Why is good communication important during times like these?
The worst action to take is to avoid the
issue. Make sure to keep your employees
apprised of all news, both good and bad.
Employees who hear negative news about
the company on television or in the newspaper or on the Internet before they hear it
from you will often become very demoralized. It’s best to be honest. Keep in mind,
however, that these issues are very sensitive and saying the right thing does not
always make a difference, so you can’t
always take negativity personally. The best
you can do is be honest, open and encouraging, determine what resources are available to employees, offer those resources
and make sure employees have access to
them.
How can companies help employees who
will be let go?
This is a difficult situation for anyone;
however, the key is to talk through the
issues to help the employee work through ptions for the future. It is important to
provide the employee with any resource
numbers or information from your benefits
or human resource departments so that if
there are questions they can be addressed
with the appropriate individuals.
In today’s business world, many organizations both large and small work to help
employees build for the future through saving plans. At the time of hire, employees
should be encouraged to contribute to
these plans, which will help them in case
they do become unemployed. In addition,
many organizations offer training or tuition
assistance to employees as part of their
benefit packages. Managers need to
encourage employees to take advantage of
these options at all times. Education will
help employees in their current jobs and
also looks impressive on a resume.
Employees at all levels of the organization should continue to learn. When learning stops, not only does it impact the
employee but the organization, as well.
Learning is important to keeping a competitive edge on skills and will prepare
employees for future situations. Skills-based employees continue to be the largest
assets to organizations. Employees at all levels should continue to look at current
and future trends in their specific job markets to determine what skills will be needed and make them a priority. Those additional skills are needed to set them apart.
What other things can employees at all levels do to keep themselves market ready?
Keeping resumes up to date, reflecting all
current experience and education, is
important, as is networking, both in and
out of the current workplace. This helps
provide an edge should someone decide to
change careers or if there is a change in his
or her business area. Professionals can join
associations to keep abreast of how their
particular profession is weathering the
storm. Some examples would be the
Society for Human Resource Management
(SHRM) for human resource professionals
or the Information Technology Association
of America (ITAA) for IT professionals.
These organizations are both local and
national. They provide training and certification in some cases and supply information about trends and new challenges.
Local chapters can assist with networking
all around the world. The more anyone
takes hold of his or her future, the less
impact there will be if an unfortunate situation at the current workplace occurs.
Any final tips for achieving peace of mind?
It’s really important that all employees try
to maintain a good balance of work, health
and spirituality. These areas can help
relieve stress and allow you to think clearly and quickly regarding any type of change
that may be taking place. Balance will certainly keep you motivated to stay on top of
your game during these times and prepare
you to know when the right job opportunities are in front of you. Keep in mind that
bad times don’t last forever; companies, as
well as individuals, that can get through
these challenging times will be in a good
position when the economy rebounds.
BARBARA COSTA is a senior lecturer/adjunct faculty member at Fontbonne University. Reach her at [email protected] or
(314) 540-0630.
