© Management Education Group, Inc.

Engaging Employees when there are No Easy Answers

April 22, 2010

Management Education Group, Inc.

www.ManagementEducationGroup.com

© Management Education Group, Inc.

Session Objectives

At the end of this session you will be able to:

• Anticipate the questions you are likely to face

• Link the questions to the needs employees have in the new work environment

• Consider six tips for maintaining engagement levels even when you don’t have the answers

© Management Education Group, Inc.

Job Losses – February 2007 to October 2009

When Did Your Region's Jobs Disappear?

California12.6%(p) in March 2010

Unemployment Rates

6,162,836 jobs lost nationwide since October 2009

© Management Education Group, Inc.

Slate.com

http://www.slate.com/id/2216238

© Management Education Group, Inc.

Public Sector Realities

Layoffs

Redeployments

Bumping

Recalls

Furloughs

© Management Education Group, Inc.

What are the Tough Questions You Can’t Answer?

• We’ve already cut 20% of the workforce. Are we done?

• I heard the city was considering a furlough. Will we all be required to participate?

• I know we are in a hiring freeze. How is the department going to get all this work done? How will my job be impacted?

© Management Education Group, Inc.

Facing the Emotions

• What are the typical reactions you are seeing from employees?

• What are the typical reactions you are seeing from organizational leaders?

© Management Education Group, Inc.

Reactions will Vary – Even in France

• 3M factory holds plant manager hostage

• Sony plant manager locked in his office

• Angry tire factory employees threw eggs

© Management Education Group, Inc.

Deems Job Loss Reaction Cycle™

Source: Make Job Loss Work for You by Richard S. Deems, 2010

© Management Education Group, Inc.

Three Kind of Employees

Source: “Building Options or Bummed Out,” Beverly Kaye, T+D, November 2009

POBBOs SOBBOs HOBBOs

Pushed Out,but Better Off

Staying On,but Building

Options

Hanging On,but Bummed

Out

© Management Education Group, Inc.

Characteristics of SOBBOs

• Action-oriented, future-focused

• Politically savvy, proactive, self-managing

• Development-minded, networked

• Investment-oriented

• Committed to growth and learning

© Management Education Group, Inc.

Characteristics of HOBBOs

• Reactive and victimized

• In denial

• Waiting to see what happens next

• Passive and disconnected

• Committed only to employment and a paycheck

© Management Education Group, Inc.

SOBBOs = Coping HOBBOs = Moping

How is your organization working

to retain and engage

the SOBBOs?

How is your organization

addressing the performance of the

HOBBOs?

© Management Education Group, Inc.

• Your agency’s policies and process• How workload will be redistributed• Timelines for change • Options for recall• Resources to be offered to employees

(EAP, benefits, outplacement, etc.)

Keys for Engaging without Answers

Key #1: Be Candid about Reality

© Management Education Group, Inc.

Keys for Engaging without Answers

Key #2: Communicate Early and Often

• Respond to community and industry impacts as they happen

• Tell employees about change before the outside world knows

• Deliver news face to face when at all possible

• Weekly CAO webcasts

• Daily or weekly intranet updates under a heading designated for the change

• CAO town halls

• Training for supervisors on how to deliver tough messages

© Management Education Group, Inc.

Keys for Engagingwithout Answers

Key #3: Create the Future with Employees

• Help them consider their skills, reputation, and the changing nature of work

• Engage them in goal-setting, focusing on transferable skills

• Encourage them to seek development opportunities, inside and outside of your organization

• Use development plans to structure their future

• Engage employees in your response to customers

© Management Education Group, Inc.

Keys for Engaging without Answers

Key #4: Never stop investing

• Training managers to coach and facilitate retained employees (SOBBOs and HOBBOs)

• Training for employees related to career development and relevant new skills

• Hold a “stay” interview with survivors to determine their individual needs

© Management Education Group, Inc.

Keys for Engaging without Answers

Key #5: Keep Your Face Up Front• Watch and listen for rumors• Anticipate rumors before they spread• Address rumors promptly via established communication tools

- Webcasts - Newsletters - Twitter - Town Halls

• Initiate two-way, face to face conversations

© Management Education Group, Inc.

Keys for Engaging without Answers

Key #6: Get Back to Work•Refocus the conversation on things employees can do something about

•Maintaining customer relations•Improving morale•Maintaining or increasing productivity

•Restate the organization’s mission over and over

•Refocus your expectations for performance

•Ask employees for input before making decisions that impact their roles

•Respond to employee questions or requests promptly•Recognize employees who go the extra mile

© Management Education Group, Inc.

Self Check

What can you do to ease the fears and address the uncertainty in

your organization?

© Management Education Group, Inc.

Thank you for your time!

Marnie E. GreenManagement Education Group, Inc.

www.ManagementEducationGroup.com

480-705-9394