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Keep the people you want

24th May 2011
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May 24 – We’ve won some more work. Nothing spectacular, but orders nonetheless, and above recent rates by value. Some of it is obviously summer related activity. We can play a role in temporary facilities. Most of it is not. And the orders have been won across the company and across our regions.

I’m a little more optimistic that we won’t be shedding staff.

I don’t want to do that. Every organisation has (come on, admit it) some people that it feels it could do without if opportunity arose. I’m not saying we’re staffed by people of consistent value to the organisation. That would be a lie. But we have got a great many who I really do not wish to lose, who are persistent adders of value (is that acceptable English?) On any rational criteria for selection for redundancy these people might go and I’d be in trouble if I sacked others I’d rather lose. The right people (those you want to go) rarely volunteer for redundancy for obvious reasons. So I’m keen not to lose people against my will. It could reduce long-term value to do so.

There is a moral in this. As we all know, when a business is humming it is worth a lot more than the sum of its parts, and the parts that aren’t valued are, in the main, the company’s staff people. This team is valuable. It would be decidedly short-term view to break much of it up. That’s why I have to keep it working.

Sure, that means that to some extent I feel like I am coming into the sausage factory when arriving here each day, desperate to feed enough into the machine to fill the available sausage skins that must pass through the machine without looking lean, but I’m becoming pragmatic. Maybe that it my job right now, and it’s of value if I succeed.
 

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By Chris Joyce
25th May 2011 14:28

Keep the people you want!!!

It never ceases to make me smile when I see the phrase or sentiment "our people are our most important asset". This is such rubbish the people, the employees, are no more important than the computers or the furniture. When any of these have served their purpose they are dumped, out the door without a single regret on the behalf of the employer. Just another number off the payroll. The bigger the employer the more this is true but smaller employers also in general feel this way. Once "suplus" to requirements we "regret that we have to let you go" just like the computer or the table. The employee becomes like chaff on the wind and that is how employers (particularly the large ones) feel about the employee merely chaff to be swept away.

The problem is that we have lost the purpose of work. To make a profit? No! To build a big prestigious organisation? No! to ensure that the boss is in the New Years's Honours? Again No!. The purpose and the one and only purpose that we work is to put food on the table and a roof over our heads. Any thing else is just to serve that purpose and any who believe otherwise are deceiving themselves.

 

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By cbbcbb
26th May 2011 09:59

Keep the people you want

Chris Joyce's comment is unfair, dangerous and very sad. I suggest he/she starts looking at "The Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For" list for a job change. There is more to life than work-to-feed.

I have seen at close quarters the agonies that good managers go through in the redundancy process. My wife is an HR director. She has worked for companies employing up to 30000 people; and during her career has been forced to make thousands of people redundant. In each situation, the decision has been agonised over, and the package and transition process has been the best possible. It is the way she copes with this emotive task. This approach benefits both the individuals and shows the remaining employees that they are valued, limiting the long-term cost to the company. It is significant that every organisation has recognised this as valid and have funded the the costs.

Unfortunately, the accountancy profession has the reputation of not seeing beyond short term cost into long-term value. It is critical to all our organisations we recognise the prime value of our work-force and, when times change, look at the real cost of treating people as commodities.

Good-luck to CEO in keeping his team together and motivating each one to contribute their strengths to his company.

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