Do you think the top leaders manage current organizational changes with enough empathy? What are your observations? Here are mine.
COVID-19 has caused disruption and, as a result, we observe a new trend – a race to rapid digitalization and search for new technologies that would help businesses survive in case of another crisis. In other words, most companies are looking for the silver bullet in technology. Trouble is, it may lead to relying on technology too much and, therefore, poses a risk of losing focus on people’s psychological needs in the organization.
Employees need a strong sense of belonging, respect and care to be able to focus and perform well. Managers are finding it increasingly difficult to provide for these needs with social distancing, because it is very easy to become an “automated Zoomer”, and go through the day attending one call after another, forgetting these calls are no longer for business purposes only.
Here are five critical areas where the executive must remember to leave space for sensitivity, curiosity and empathy in their daily operations.
1. ENGAGING TEAMS IN DESIGNING INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
We have all seen the office “idea boxes” or “openness and courage” on the list of company values, and we all know most of the efforts are wasted. Now is the time for business leaders to make themselves vulnerable, ask their teams for help with building a plan for all future changes, and to take these ideas on board.
Teams need to know there is a plan, that this plan is going towards a clear destination and that their opinion matters with regards to how the organization should get there.
Younger generations may not have your experience and knowledge, but they know a lot better how to create new ways with new tools.
Asking employees for ideas and support in solving organizational problems may make leaders feel vulnerable, but it should not because this is exactly where empathy and emotional intelligence begins.
This act of courage will not only stimulate the team’s engagement, trust and respect, but will, for sure, provide priceless feedback on what has not been working before and how to improve it now. This is the area where technology and empathy used wisely can do wonders.
2. COMMUNICATING BAD NEWS
Unfortunately, in our new reality, many enterprises must change their business models and organizational structures, and they have to do it fast. With these changes, people lose jobs, income, security, sometimes homes. One would think it’s obvious that delivering this bad news should be done with the highest level of care and empathy, but it’s not always the case. We hear and read about outrageous cases, where 300-400 employees are informed about their job cuts over a 40-second Zoom call delivered by a pre-recorded voice of a stranger with no face or name.
Automation of communication makes things easier, and thus facilitates lazy and poor leadership behaviors, especially among inexperienced and weak managers.
Organization leaders who allow, or worse, practice these behaviors should be aware these events do not go unnoticed or forgotten by the remaining teams. Employees, who are left to deal with double the workload and, often with less pay, after witnessing their colleagues being mistreated, will soon lose trust, a sense of security and find it increasingly difficult to focus on work.
Ultimately the company’s talent acquisition, culture, morale, performance and the bottom line will suffer. As everywhere else, taking a shortcut doesn’t pay off here.
Do the right thing; if there is bad news, deliver it YOURSELF using the best available technology with respect and empathy for people.
3. CREATING “MISSION: EMPATHY” JOBS TO FACILITATE FOR THE NEW NORMS
Inevitable cost-cutting and reducing headcount are done in thousands of businesses today. This gives an opportunity to identify those areas of the organization where newly-created roles can help resolve long-lasting problems from the past. For example, the Onboarding Manager position.
The onboarding process was traditionally a responsibility “shared“ between HR and the line manager, which practically meant no-one was accountable for the safe, efficient and enjoyable introduction of new joiners to the organizational maze of processes and politics.
With a well-designed onboarding process AND a person who is responsible for making it work, companies with a designated Onboarding Manager enjoy faster integration, a shorter learning curve, full productivity sooner, and the team’s happiness. With that, creativity and innovation take off.
If you want your new business culture to be stronger and your employer branding attract great new talent in the near future, allow a few NEW jobs with “Mission: Empathy”.
4. KEEPING THE “SOFT SKILLS” AS A PRIORITY FOR MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT
It’s already proven soft skills are the hardest to learn and the most critical for accomplishing business missions. Yet we still see many companies ignore that, and groom a culture where leaders and managers get away with ruthless behaviors. While they need more leadership and people training, the crisis leads organizations to cut budgets on training and development.
Being a good boss is not easy in general. Now, with social distancing, it is more difficult, and guess what! It is just about to get even more complex when the new norms are introduced, and massive company transformations will be required.
Managers will be expected to execute tough changes, and without those “soft”, but most difficult to learn skills, these changes will simply not happen.
You are taking one of the most important leadership tests of your life now. If you want to pass it, make sure your managers have the opportunity and tools available to continuously develop their emotionally intelligent management capability.
Last but not least; lead by example – apply empathy in every business decision you make.
5. FOCUS ON A CULTURE OF FAIRNESS, TRANSPARENCY AND RESPECT
Operational stability and profitability are the main focus of leaders now, for which they need their teams to perform at their best. But what about the team’s needs?
Nothing stimulates employees and increases organizational agility better than healthy culture. If it’s true “culture is shaped by the way you treat and pay people”, it should be critical for leaders to have their finger on the pulse, and not to allow bad practice to creep in.
It is going to be easy to hire the best talent for lower wages, make drastic changes in pay strategy and keep a lid on unfair policies. If fairness is lost, transparency becomes foggy and the process of rewarding (or penalizing) performance is not ethical, the company culture is just a slogan on the wall.
The opportunity to “hire and fire as we please because there are about 20 candidates desperate to take these jobs for half salary tomorrow” will be there, but if you are a leader of a business that wants to last, remember arrogant management practice does not go unpunished. Culture is sensitive to that.
While adjusting your pay policies, keep them fair, transparent and market-relevant, and guard the respectful culture so you can enjoy employees’ loyalty, high performance and good profit going way beyond COVID-19.
Comments are closed