Get the most from your people

Managing your team through change

During the crisis, the roles and responsibilities of your employees will change. How can you ensure that you get the best out of them? This video looks at some of the things that can be done.

https://vimeo.com/411080186

 

(JK) Last time, we were talking about the 90-day plan and how you break it up into 30-day chunks, and we were also talking about your three main areas which are pivot, shift and adjustment.

Can you think of any examples which fit into this bit about adjustments that need to be made by a business?

(FD) Yes, so one of my clients has 30 employees and it’s a retail business. The different departments are running as best as they can, but one of the things I told them is who can you move from their current role to where there is the need, where it’s extremely busy.

They looked at where they could move people and that’s what they have done. With other people in other departments, again the work is not there, so they have had to furlough them.

There are some employees where they have offered pay cuts because they still need them, but they don’t need them as much. So what I have advised them to do is try and keep as many employees as possible.

You don’t want to make people redundant if you really don’t need to.

We also need to think of when we come out of this period.

We don’t just aim to survive it, we need to think long term because things will return to normal eventually. You don’t want to lose good people.

It’s all about showing leadership at this time. So as the leader, of course, you are really passionate about your business surviving and you have to be really focused. However, at the same time, there is the management side of it as well, which is about productivity and competency.

Productivity needs to continue, but it is best to do it so that your cash flow is safe, adjusting your team so that you try and keep as many as possible, but with the key people at the moment taking you through this period.

(JK) The thing about furlough it seems to me is that what you are doing is you are creating or rather reconstituting like a football squad.

So, you have 20 people, but 11 people are playing at any given time, but you swap people out and bring them in as and when, do you think that is about right?

(FD) Yes, so it’s tapping into other skills that your employees have got that you didn’t know because they were doing a different role.

It is also asking your employees what else do they think they are good at and can they help their colleagues who are busier?

It is also a way of making sure that it is an inclusive culture.

(JK) There is all manner of flexibility that comes out of this rather confusing, at least initially, period of crisis. I guess that there’s a huge amount of clarity that’s going to come out from this as well.

(FD) Yes, absolutely, it is a time to get the most out of your people, that should always be the situation anyway. But I think what has happened has really highlighted how important a team is, because, without a team, there is no business.

But currently, adjustments need to be made. And as I said, when you are making a plan in 30-day chunks, things change.

You have to be ready to re-plan. Having a plan and constantly referring to it as a guide really keeps the focus, the focus for the boss, the CEO, the managing director, but also focus on all the team.

(JK) Yeah, I guess what you are helping people to do is to optimize that business. Yes?

(FD) Yes, so what skills have you got now and how can you use them to the best advantage to keep this business going and also manage your cash flow at the same time?

(JK) Good things can happen from this crisis.

(FD) Definitely. Absolutely.

Does this resonate with you? If you would like to book a complimentary, no-obligation, coaching session to discuss this further, please email me at falgunidesai@actioncoach.com