A Covid Reality Check

When the economic impact of Covid hit its’ peak, almost 20% of workers lost their jobs.  But let’s be clear…20% of CEO’s did not get a pink slip; 20% of senior management were not worrying about how to pay the mortgage and the loan on the Mercedes; even 20% of most middle managers were not worried about more ground beef and less steak.

No, the impact disproportionately impacted entry level employees and other front line workers…those who were the least able to withstand an interruption in their compensation.  Yet these are the people who implement all the strategies that flow from the boardroom.  These are the ones who so often are the face of the company to the public on a daily basis.  These are the ones who routinely report a lack of engagement with the corporate agenda.

Little wonder…

Lack of engagement has always been an issue in every company and in every industry.  The impact of Covid is a double edged sword.  Not only are many jobs lost, but many more have been displaced with so many employees now working from home. 

The task of maintaining even a modicum of engagement has never been more difficult.  I’d like to offer a few suggestions for your consideration.

1.   Consider rehiring staff in advance of the return of demand from your client base.  This may sound counter intuitive but consider this.  A layoff has a devastating impact on the employee. Most businesses though have the financial capacity - either through internal cash reserves or through access to capital – to afford the extra overhead.  Yes, there will be a short term impact on profitability, but your focus needs to be at least mid or long term success.  If you rehire, or even better, do not layoff at all, you show that the company is invested in its’ primary asset – its’ employees.  What a tremendous expression of the value you place on them and what a confidence building impression it has on one who would otherwise be at a food bank line up. Obviously you cannot consider this type of response if the business is already in a critical life- saving mode but for those of you not that close to the edge I urge your consideration. The reality is that layoffs have proven to be a knee-jerk reaction to business interruptions in the past that are not significant contributors to expense controls once separation payments are considered.

 

2.   With so many employees now ‘working from home’ the lack of personal interaction has a negative impact on the engagement. As already noted, a lack of engagement is the primary hindrance businesses experience even though it is a silent killer. 

You need to develop a new and proactive communication strategy that puts you in front of your employees on a more regular basis.  Something as seemingly insignificant as a personal acknowledgement of a birthday is a start.  Have more frequent and focused ‘town hall meetings’ that combine both in-house and online staff shows your intentional attitude towards engagement.  “Breakfast with the Boss” or similar personal and informal group meetings further demonstrates this attitude. 

The key in all of these endeavours is that you must be genuine in your approach.  If you can’t be, the impact will be to worsen rather than improve engagement.

 

3.   Some years ago a short book called ‘Management by Walking Around’ espoused the unstructured personal interaction that characterized an engaged executive.  I found much personal satisfaction whenever I interacted in this manner.  Again, you need to be authentic and honest during these times as any lack of transparency will be seen as an attempt to manufacture a connection that really is not there.

4.   Finally, adopt this time principle. 

For every hour you spend in developing a strategic plan,   spend one hour with those who ultimately must implement it. 

For every hour you spend analyzing financial results, spend one hour communicating those results in a manner that front line staff can relate to and comprehend.

For every hour you spend in the executive boardroom, spend an hour on the shop floor.

And for every hour you spend schmoozing a client at a posh restaurant, spend an hour in the company cafeteria. 

The more real you are to your staff members, the more engaged they will be with your interests.