Bridge Consulting

ENGAGING EMPLOYEES DURING DIFFICULT TIMES

Let's be frank: it's tough out there.

Economic conditions are putting an incredible strain on businesses to remain focused, profitable and ahead of their competition. Organizations hardest hit are finding it necessary to respond by cutting costs, limiting investments and downsizing their current staff.

In times like these, it's critical to keep employees engaged to ensure productivity, innovation and results. And when staff reductions are required, this is true not just for employees who will remain through the transition, but also those who will be leaving the organization.

In our experience, sustaining engagement during difficult times can be achieved through a proactive, two-pronged solution that includes:

  • Creating a targeted strategy for communicating the context and solutions for the challenges the organization is facing.
  • Helping managers build critical skills in communication and engagement during difficult times.

Below is a high-level look at how to successfully execute both of these components.


COMMUNICATION STRATEGY

When preparing for downsizing, some organizations often focus narrowly on how and when they'll "deliver the news." However, a sound communication strategy is broader and deeper than this, including messaging that answers the questions that are on employees' minds, as well as a thorough stakeholder analysis that addresses the obstacles and opportunities for each stakeholder group.

Recently, a specialty pharmaceutical company, undergoing significant strategic and operational changes, developed a stakeholder analysis that truly addressed the complexity and diversity of the organization. By rigorously identifying stakeholders, determining the levels of communication each required and assessing their key influencers, the company was able to develop a blended communication strategy that targeted messages as appropriate to the organization as a whole, to stakeholder groups, and even at times to individual employees.

Once you've identified your stakeholders and developed the key messages, it's important to craft a communication strategy that builds understanding and acceptance among these groups for a sustained period of time. "This requires much more than a company meeting and some positive spin," says Chris Gay, partner with Bridge Consulting. "Communication shouldn't be once and done or one size fits all. It should be ongoing, candid and interactive, and it should reflect the priorities of the organization in tone, approach and delivery."


MANAGER SKILL-BUILDING

High resistance to change often results from lack of skill and buy-in at the middle-manager level. This challenge can be addressed effectively through interactive workshops designed to provide managers with the resources and skills to engage employees during difficult times. According to Chris Gay, such sessions "need to go beyond theory to provide practical tools and action plans that help managers fulfill their communication and engagement role right away."

So, precisely what do such workshops need to cover? Bridge Consulting's research shows that managers need to be equipped with the right content as well as the right skills to deliver that content. In other words, they need both the "what" and the "how" to communicate with and engage employees effectively.

The communication content, or messages, should include the following:

  • Aligned Business Strategy – This is a clear and compelling articulation of the business direction and the rationale for any organizational changes being made. These messages should be delivered in straightforward and simple language.
  • Consistent Focus – This is composed of the three to five things that are most important to getting the organization through the difficult period successfully. They should be communicated frequently and consistently.
  • Line of Sight – This is a vivid description of how employees personally contribute to helping the company reach its goals. A powerful technique for creating a line of sight is storytelling, which any manager—even if he or she isn't a "natural"—can learn to do.

Three critical communication skills that managers need to lead employees effectively during difficult times are as follows:

  • Listening – Most managers have had some form of listening training, but during difficult times, it's easy to overlook this important skill. A refresher on active listening and a few practical tips can go a long way.
  • Recognizing – Employees want to feel appreciated for a job well done—particularly during tough times. Good recognition doesn't require formal programs, cash awards or prizes. Through simple recognition techniques, managers can motivate employees and promote the desired behaviors.
  • Walking the Talk – This is where "the rubber meets the road." It's about ensuring that managers' words and actions are aligned, and that they model the behaviors that the organization needs its employees to demonstrate.

As they say, "when the going gets tough, the tough get going." And with the right road map for sustaining engagement, an organization can steer through the tough times to successfully reach the other side.



Bridge Consulting offers expertise in developing and implementing strategies that help organizations achieve high levels of employee engagement during difficult times while maintaining a business focus. If you would like more information, connect with us today.