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Will Business Become More Compassionate Now?
By Gail Finger, November 2001
There has been a lot of talk about the impact that September 11th is having, and will continue to have, on the economy. Some say that we were heading for a recession before September 11th. Others say that we might have avoided a recession prior to the events of that day. By and large, the talk is about numbers, layoffs, and the stock market. Little focus has been given to the impact that a company’s management style and people practices will have on the bottom line in the weeks and months ahead.
On September 11th I was given a remarkable opportunity. Within hours after the airplane crashes, I was asked to participate with a team of consultants (all of us are management consultants with backgrounds in psychology) on a project for a company that had lost several employees in the terrorist attacks. The request was for some help with how to handle the crisis, the grief and the anxiety, and to support HR, executives and managers in how to best lead during this time.
In the initial days with this organization we learned that they recently went through a merger and had experienced some layoffs. The talk in the hallways and in meetings we attended was not only about the effects of the terrorist attacks, but also about how the merger never really worked, the cultures never really aligned, and morale had been particularly low of late.
As we facilitated meetings, advised on leadership strategies, educated about the different ways people experience and respond to grief and fear we heard time and again how surprised people were at the compassionate response management was having to the crisis.
During the time I have spent with this organization, I have had one of the most unique experiences of my career: seeing a company’s culture transform before my eyes. Most of the managers were grateful for the mandate to get out of their offices, get to know their employees, try to recognize those who appeared to need immediate attention, and to give the message that it was not expected that it would be “business as usual” in the coming days. Managers were instructed to allow their employees time on the phone to locate loved ones, the opportunity to take time out from work to go to their place of worship, donate blood, or to leave early if they simply needed time alone.
As time went on, and we met with managers in groups and individually, we got another surprise. These men and women admitted to having previously been crabby, pompous, self-serving, self- absorbed and non-communicative with staff. The past weeks allowed them to try on a different style, and they liked it. They enjoyed getting to know the staff, being more communicative, and putting the focus of their attention on others for a change.
The majority of managers were anxious to find a way to learn more about how to be better leaders, and how to bring this momentum forward in the company to improve morale, productivity, and retention. They said that they had been trying for months to find a way to improve morale, and that this horrible event had somehow done more to bring people together than any team building exercise ever could have. People were all of a sudden treating one another with more respect, asking each other’s opinions, and taking the time to listen to one another.
This company, and others, are now taking the time to change the way they do business - not only with their customers, but with their employees as well.
In the wake of September 11th, people are going to be taking a second look at their lives and their jobs. People everywhere are asking themselves: “What am I doing with my life?, ”Does my life have any meaning?,” “Does my work have any meaning?” September 11th will continue to have an effect on the way people approach work and relationships. We shouldn’t ignore this, as it is likely to be a trend, and one that can have very positive outcomes for individual businesses, the economy, and America. Every business should be looking upon the past weeks as an opportunity for leadership development, improving their people practices, improving morale, and reducing unwanted turnover. As leadership improves, so will customer service, efficiency and productivity. Improving productivity and reducing unwanted turnover are not only important during times of crisis or economic downturn. They keep businesses and the economy healthy in both good times and bad. Take a look at your company. Ask yourself these questions:
- If I polled my employees, would they say that there is someone who cares about their career development and personal life at work?
- Are we as responsive to employee needs as we could be?
- Are we as flexible as we could be when we look at how work gets done?
- Do we communicate company information to our employees regularly enough?
- Do a high percentage of our employees use all of their sick days each year? What does that say about the work environment (physical and emotional)?
- Do our current employees regularly recommend friends and family for open positions? If not, why not?
These are just a few of the questions that businesses should be asking themselves today. If your people don’t feel a sense of purpose and pride in their work, if they don’t have a good relationship with their manager, and some positive relationships with co-workers, your company is at risk. In today’s economy, your people will either make or break your business. Great managers and leaders are key to your success. They are the key to keeping employees motivated, reducing unwanted turnover, improving morale, reducing sick days used, and improving productivity. They do it by building relationships with their employees. If your managerial benchstrength is weak right now, you need to develop your current technical experts into great managers, improve the skills of your present managers, and/or recruit some exemplary folks from outside to give you a jumpstart.
Do an honest assessment of your management benchstrength and people practices. Survey your workers. Listen to what they have to say. Be observant. Then, take the steps to improve the leadership, management and HR practices that will help your company to succeed in these uncertain times.
We invite you to read more in the following, related, articles: Linking Culture to the Bottom Line and Prevent Your Organization From Imploding During Times of Change