by Julie Gebauer
I’ve recently heard some worrying comments from a variety of sources:
“They should be happy to have jobs.”
“No one is going anyplace for a while.”
“We can do this now … what are their other choices?”
I think there’s a dangerous sentiment underlying these comments – taking for granted the value of people and the importance of keeping them engaged. Leaders who let views like this escape into every day actions and messages are creating serious risks for themselves. These perspectives are easy for employees to detect.
And even if people aren’t planning to leave an organization in this economic climate, they could disengage today. Further, when the economy turns around and people are less reluctant to change employers, unwanted turnover could increase.
We know senior leadership’s demonstrated interest in employees’ well-being is a key engagement driver at many organizations and in most countries. Employees don’t give leaders a pass on this during economic downturns. Rather, they become more focused on it.
Employees understand the need to address the difficult economy, but they are watching closely to see if business and people decisions are thoughtful, balanced and fair. They are expecting ongoing and transparent communications about these decisions. They want their leaders to be accessible to address daily concerns. They will remember if a leader knowledgably recognized their efforts during these difficult times. They are looking for the opportunity to be involved in developing solutions to new challenges.
Leaders and managers who meet these expectations are likely to see improved employee engagement in their organizations. They are setting themselves up for greater long-term success. Those who ignore these ideas or, worse, take on the cavalier attitude reflected in quotes at the start of this entry, are likely to have a problem recovering and rebuilding when the economy turns around.
Also see a related post from Don, The Big Myth: Employee Turnover.
