“Tough Times”
by Chris Reinhardt, feedlot specialist
After this summer, with its extra challenges brought on by excessive heat, early weaning of calves, crop failures, and deep culling of cow herds, many employees will be wondering about their future with the organization. And in the vacuum created by lack of good information, people will fill that vacuum with bad information.
During tough economic times is a critical time to communicate the financial outlook of the organization, not the time to try to muddle through “until things get better.”
If the organization is suffering, get those challenges out on the table. It may be in the firm’s short-term “best interest” to not tell employees that there may be layoffs. We want to keep them around until the last possible moment, right? Then kick them loose when it’s expedient to then fend for themselves in a down economy and a stressed marketplace. That is probably not in the employees’ best interest. Letting those who might be on the bubble know as soon as possible allows them to start making contingency plans and looking for other opportunities.
If that person on the bubble does find other work and leaves, and business turns around, what is the downside? You are making more money and need more help to keep making more money. If the person doesn’t find other work and stays, you’ve earned an extra chip called “trust”.
Honesty during difficulty isn’t just the right thing to do (although that’s a pretty good reason), it’s also critical to building long-term trust and loyalty among your team. I once heard someone say about a manager, who “tells me the tough things to my face, so I never have to wonder what is being said behind my back.”
If communicated in a timely way, candidly, and with compassion, difficult conversations during mutual adversity can contribute to long-term growth in relationships throughout the workplace.
