Corporate Terrorism or How to Become an Employer of Last Resort

Immediately after 9/11, we saw an incredible boom of cooperative purpose in the American people. There was a true sense that we were “in this together.” Who could forget the images of the smoldering ruin of the World Trade Center, the smoke rising from the Pentagon, and the scorched earth near Shanksville, Pennsylvania? In an instant, they became our national “burning platform,” that rallying point around which change becomes imminently possible.

That’s on a national and international level. But what happens when organizations propagate “acts of terror” on their employees? What’s the appropriate response to that?

You see, it’s one thing when an organization struggles and has to make tough decisions that significantly impact employees. Cuts in benefits. Restructuring. Even layoffs. But it’s entirely another thing when these decisions and their associated actions are handled in an uncaring and injurious manner.

Let’s imagine the worst….you’ve worked for a Fortune 500 company for nearly two decades. You’ve risen through the organization. You’ve received high praise at every level. You’re recognized as both an expert in your field and a hallmark of an ideal, engaged employee.

Yet, your company is struggling. Profits and revenue are sharply down, and operations are beginning to spiral uncontrollably (despite leadership insistance that the its still an exceptionally strong financial company). The possibility of layoffs are announced, but without specifics (always a preliminary leadership mistake, I believe).

Out of the blue, one evening, you receive a phone call at home informing you that your services are no longer needed…..effective immediately. Don’t even bother to show up to clean out your desk in the morning. You’re done. Gone. Completely disposable. No warning. No caring. No dignity.

Tough decisions are tough decisions. But tough decisions cannot preclude common decency in handling difficult employee situations. Leaders who allow (and actively or passively participate in) such treatment of employees are guilty of….well, poor leadership at best, and at worst, “corporate terrorism.”

Seem extreme?  Well, think about it.  Organizational cultures drive business success, and your treatment of employees drives organizational culture.  And companies can choose between caring (even in tough times and with tough decisions), sensitive, respectful (dare I say loyal) interactions with employees or heartless, insensitive, and dysfunctional treatment.

You see, loyalty does not mean organizations cannot or should not make tough business decisions,  even if those decisions include downsizing. Loyalty means still employing the most humane, caring, and compassionate ways of operating, particularly in tough times.

What happens when even one employee is let go in a way that violates every modicum of decency? The ripple effect throughout the organization is felt and lingers for months. Fear swoops in and engulfs the workforce….”Am I next? If this could happen to her, what about me?” Productivity dips even further. No one is willing to rise up and take risks for fear of finding their own head on the chopping block. Revenue plummets, precipitating further employee cuts. It’s not a gradual decline, but rather an accelerating, run-away train.

The American business model was built on a tradition of worker rights and a team-based commitment between employer and employee. Transactional or transformational, those companies that thrive and last are those who focus on their people…and that means doing the right thing, even at the most difficult moments.

When we sow the seeds of “corporate terrorism,” the impact is almost always fatal to the business. And it’s an impact that instantly transforms the company from one of respected employer of choice to employer of last resort.

Walk the streets of your town, and randomly ask people for their impressions of your company. You may be surprised by what you discover. No longer are you viewed as a growing, vibrant, and desireable place to work. On the contrary, your reputation is one engulfed in distrust, disillusionment, and disease.

“It’s only a matter of time until it’s gone,” I’ve heard said on more than one occasion lately. And it’s sad. It’s like the murmurs of a closet alcoholic, so lost in his own disease that he’s incapable of understanding the rotten air of his behavior or reputation.

It’s time for corporate AA….there is a choice. Functional, thriving, caring employer of choice….which will lead to future success. Or remain an increasingly desperate example of leadership gone awry….the aloholic who refuses treatment, and in the end, contributes to the ultimate diseased and dsyfunctional American family.

Fresh Starts: Part of a New Talent Management Strategy

Everyone knows that the era of lifelong employment and reciprocal employee loyalty have gone the way of the dinosaurs. So, it’s perplexing when one runs across yet another example of an organization that is surprised when employees aren’t “loyal.”

The rise in social networking sites for professionals, most notably LinkedIn, means employees are more prone than ever to be approached with opportunities outside your organization’s walls. Conversely, human resources have unparalleled access to more candidates than in past decades.

Pensions are quickly becoming remnants of bygone times.  Health care benefits are shrinking within many companies (or the share borne by individual employees is, at least, rising quickly). The state of the economy in the past several years has seen a sharp decline in anticipated retirements, leading to stagnation of career ladders and frustration by Gen-Xers and Millenials thwarted from moving into leadership roles.

Paint this picture, and it should suprise no one that employees are seeking out and accepting more career mobility than ever before. The average millenial will spend time with an estimated twenty organizations over the course of their career. Do the math….in a 40 year career, that’s a change every two years!

So, what can companies do to combat this trend toward workforce instability? The simple answer is…..adapt! Focus talent management approaches to understand the changing workforce attitudes, employee expectations, and encourage employee mobility. That’s right, encourage it!

One of the key reasons individuals leave their companies is out of a desire for continuous career growth. The reality is for many, their readiness to promote is outpacing turnover in higher level positions. Emotionally intelligent leaders realize this and, rather than simply shrug their shoulders and encourage patience, by actively coaching stagnating employees into higher level positions (even with other organizations), they are practicing people-focused leadership.

It’s not only possible, but increasingly likely that individuals, as they move from organization to organization, may return to the same organization later in their career. For those companies who accept this, the benefits from the cross-pollination of leadership and competitive thought will return ten-fold by way of a more seasoned leader with good feelings and memories of his or her time as a more junior employee there.

So, stop practicing talent management from a position of fear and apprehension. Retention of employees is important, but a broader perspective that includes an understanding of the cyclical nature of today’s jobforce is needed. Stop allowing your employees to stagnate. Encourage them to seek opportunities, wherever they may be.

Chances are many of your most talented employees will leave your organization (you know it’s true).  Strong talent management approaches ensure their departure is a positive growth opportunity for them, not because they are unhappy or dissatisfied with being forced to stagnate (or ostracized for wanting more).  Look out for their interests, and the rewards down the road will far outweigh the costs of losing them for now.

Leveraging EI to Overcome Lagging Productivity

“I don’t get it,” Beth sighed.  “She was always my best employee, but lately, her sales numbers have really been slipping.  If things don’t turn around, I’ve got some tough decisions ahead of me…..”

How often have you as a leader struggled with that underperforming employee?  You know the one.  Great potential on paper.  Educated.  Experienced with solid references.  Great personality.  Yet, their productivity is lagging as of late.  They show up a little later in the morning and depart a little earlier in the afternoon.  No longer are they clamoring for new opportunities, embracing new challenges, or seeking out innovating solutions like they once did.

Anyone in management has surely faced this situation.  It’s frustrating, but it’s not something that should be simply ignored.  The solution is nearly always to address the situation, but doing so often requires patience, sensitivity, and supportive inquisitiveness – soft skills of increasing importance in today’s modern workplace.

Patience – Understand that digging into the root causes for lagging performance takes time and effort.  Gone are the days of carrot-and-stick, quid pro quo managerial levers by which leaders can simply reward desired behaviors and punish undesirable ones.  Personal discussions with the employee, particularly if the conversation delves into both work-related and personal issues, can take time.  This is particularly true in less established leader-follower relationships, where full trust levels are still being established.

Sensitivity – Adopting an emotionally intelligent approach toward any performance issues should always be a #1 priority for transformational leaders.  Through a consistent demonstration of care for the physical and emotional well-being of employees, leaders will discover much deeper understandings of issues that could be affecting work performance.  Sometimes those are directly work-related, i.e., interpersonal dynamics, misalignment of mission/vision with employee perceptions, or simple skill set mismatches.  Frequently, however, issues outside of the workplace may be having a detrimental impact on an employee’s ability to focus, take risks, or prioritize her work tasks.

Support – One of the most effective, yet often seemingly counterintuitive, strategies for leaders facing this type of situation is to avoid recommending solutions to employees.  Rather, through a process of appreciative inquiry and thoughtful probing, the most effective and transformational leaders facilitate a process by which the employee himself determines an action plan for overcoming detractors.  This could be by seeking out formal or informal training or development opportunities to build skills within their role, or it could be by proactively addressing personal issues outside of the office.  The key is in leaders providing an environment in which their devotion toward supporting employee success in whatever means possible.

Talent management.  Employee engagement.  Transformational Leadership.  It is in the intersection of all of these that leaders can tap into the hidden potential of workers.  Nowhere is this more evident than when faced with a detrimental shift in employee attitude and productivity.  So, take the time, listen…explore…and support your employees through their difficult times.  If you do this, chances are you will observe both a return of productivity and an increase in employee loyalty and engagement.  Emotionally intelligent leadership is the key.