Many readers will be familiar with the “Slow Food” movement in North America and Europe. World-class chefs and everyday kitchen cooks have been pushing back against fast, often unhealthy foods that have become part many North American’s lifestyles. Careful preparation, orchestrated service and slow consumption make dining a much more enjoyable and healthy experience.
The organizational equivalent, “slow management”, unfortunately does not deliver the same uplifting experience. In my 35+ year career I have surveyed and interviewed thousands of employees about their job satisfaction. Most are very clear on what organizational practices boost their morale and what things need to change for morale and quality of service to customers/clients to improve. Employees rarely complain that managers move too fast. A frequent complaint is about managers who are too slow to make decisions that would solve problems.
To be fair, many managers face restrictive organizational policies, heavy workloads and may need to gather more information before making a decision. There may be several legitimate reasons that slow management action. However, managers sometimes take weeks, months, or (I hesitate here, but I can think of examples where a year or more has passed) to make a decision. They seem to have mastered the art of turning legitimate reasons into excuses.
Failure to decide is a decision in itself. Problems go without solutions, frustration rises and confidence in management declines. Sensing that management doesn’t care what happens, employees down the line begin to behave differently with customers and with each other as their job satisfaction plummets.
Management default in decision making is the Slow Food equivalent of a chef having the intention to cook a world-class meal but then leaving the kitchen to go for a long walk.
Call it a recession, depression or optimistically a “downturn”, devastatingly high levels of unemployment are making it easier for employers to fill vacancies with qualified applicants. People who have stable employment count themselves among the fortunate. The days of “job hopping” appear to have ended, at least for the time being.
Economies are cyclic, making the current situation temporary. In a year or two, growth will resume and labor market shortages could be greater than during the last boom. Smart employers are already preparing for this reality.
Lower turnover and fewer vacancies means managers are spending less time caught up in the vortex of high speed recruitment activities. The following activities will help managers fine tune organizational practices to attract and retain the best people during the inevitable economic upturn.
- Survey and hold discussions with current employees about the strengths and weaknesses of HR practices. Ask them what should change to make the company attractive to future employees and a better place to work for current employees.
- Take a critical look at orientation practices for new employees. Fix any shortcomings and remember orientations should last 3 to 6 months, not a day or two!
- Increase development opportunities for existing employees. Employee loyalty improves when people see employers investing in them. Employees who have a strong sense of attachment are less likely to leave when job markets improve.
- Take a critical look at all written and unwritten HR policies and practices. When hiring pressures increase, things must be done quickly. Realign HR activities with “best practices” now while the pressure is off.
Look ahead to potential future direction and future growth of your organization. Begin now to plan for the human resource infrastructure that will position your company for the inevitable economic upswing and return to a tight labour market.
Paula J. MacLean is the best-selling author of six books for nonprofit leaders. She is an educator and coach for Canadian nonprofit managers, ED/CEOs and boards of directors. Visit learningforleaders.ca for information on online video training (including two free courses), to sign-up for blog posts and for information about books and ebooks.