Discussion
I am part of a small team 12-15 of us depending where which office we are working from.
But we all seem to have the same problem of very little motivation. I am trying to think of ways to pick up staff moral and motivation, but the ones i have tried have worked while out of work but when back in work it is the same old atmosphere
a killing factor is that everyone is talking of leaving with the exception of the senior managment. and this is adding further problems as in the last 6 months 4 or 5 people have left and one person has joined on a Parttime basis only.
everyone mentality is that its time to get out of the sinking ship, i enjoy most parts to my job and do not want to be looking for another job at the moment.
Advice appriciated!
Thanks
But we all seem to have the same problem of very little motivation. I am trying to think of ways to pick up staff moral and motivation, but the ones i have tried have worked while out of work but when back in work it is the same old atmosphere
a killing factor is that everyone is talking of leaving with the exception of the senior managment. and this is adding further problems as in the last 6 months 4 or 5 people have left and one person has joined on a Parttime basis only.
everyone mentality is that its time to get out of the sinking ship, i enjoy most parts to my job and do not want to be looking for another job at the moment.
Advice appriciated!
Thanks
Eric Mc said:
Is the ship really sinking?
Erm, I think its turning into a submarine!General feeling from Management is everything is genererally ok. But we need more staff.
But another member from another team of 6 is leaving this friday. Out of 23 people in the building 3 will be leaving this friday, 1 at the end of the month general retirement, and 3 are seeking employment elsewhere.
My workload and responsibilty has increase a lot in the last 8 weeks. to a level that i was at in my old job but without the formal promotion that i should recieve.
There is a large generation gap in the office. where the younger staff are in there late 20s early 30s but the management are mid 50's.
Edited by stevieb on Monday 4th June 10:32
Kinky said:
stevieb said:
My workload and responsibilty has increase a lot in the last 8 weeks. to a level that i was at in my old job but without the formal promotion that i should recieve.
Perhaps you're answering your own question there? Is this the same situation with the others?K
Salaries are low compared to other companies, but the environment hen i started was reasonably good a office set in the country side etc,
I have been offered a promotion but that will not come into effect untime August. But i am still expected to do all the work for the job now without anything in return. Others have left due to broken promises, and recruitment they are trying but they cannot get anyone!
They had 1 vacancy when i joined and now they have 10 vacancies at different levels throughout the department.
oh the joys of being an employee
johnfm said:
If there is a strong underlying business, but management are a bit useless, why not put together a buy out proposal. Get rid of the dead wood at the top, re-energise the company and the new management team will have loads of motivation.
If only but that is not an option as i work for a FTSE company, a management buyout is just not possible..Winning work is not a problem, there is always to much work to do in the alloted time.
V8 EOL - Rich said:
stevieb said:
Winning work is not a problem, there is always to much work to do in the alloted time.
Sounds like the ship isn't sinking, just a bit like the Mary Celeste! I think the most important question is are you happy? That should lead you to an obvious decision.
I have got other options of employment where i am some closer to home and some a little further away. But all in all I have only been with the omapny for 2 years and did not want to keep changing company so frequently!
You haven't really explained where the lack of motivation is coming from. Pay isn't briliant, it's getting busier because there are fewer people to do the same amount of work, but that doesn't really explain the loss of atmosphere. It's also not clear to what extent you can control/change this yourself (e.g. are you fairly senior? Are you close to someone with influence?).
So steps to consider might be:
- Raise the alert that there is a problem (acceptance)
- Work out what the causes are? (identify the problems)
- Action remedies (propose solutions)
- Create pressure valves to relieve the strain, even temporarily.
Step 1 suggests building an informal group of people willing to make the changes (whatever they turn out to be). Meet your boss, or colleagues of a similar level. This isn't about solutions, it's about acceptance that something is going badly wrong. The action to result is to start identifying the root causes. Another action is to identify the most trusted people in this group to do this next step.
Step 2: Talk to people. Exit interviews are an idea (if a bit late). Your nominated 'trusted' people need to get talking with everyone: operatives, secretaries, warehouse staff. in particular, look for the key players - older secretaries often turn out to be "mother hens" to the younger girls, and have a really good grasp of what's going on.
Take them for lunch, or a beer after work. Not the quick half hour, but as long as it takes. They will tell you what's wrong. Crucially, remember that they have to absolutely trust their "interviewer/mentor" - what they say in confidence must never be traceable.
Step 3: Well it depends on what Stage 2 told you. It may be simple things (filling the empty jobs). It may be trickier - convincing the senior management to return control to the shop floor. Whatever it is, follow through with conviction. Treat it as if your job is on the line (which in a sense it is, as it sounds like you're wlaking if nothing changes).
Step 4 is actually a step on its own. It sounds like you've tried awaydays, and they don't really deliver. One trick I learned was from a guy who had a remarkable knack of judging the atmosphere. Regularly (once a fortnight) he'd poke his head out the door and say "Sod this, I'm going for a beer. Who's coming". It seemed totally random, and could happen at any time after about 3 o'clock. Beers went on the company credit card, whether it was a quiet £20, or a £300 blowout. Eased the tension; got everyone talking (whether work or just random chat) - chats led to someone else throwing a new idea into the mix; problems were aired (and filed away for future action); spouses could drop in, and become part of the family. The informal nature of it became part of the culture, brought the family back together, and just took the edge off every so often. From small beginnings, it grew to the point where everyone felt obliged to tag along for a quick half every few weeks or so - even the boring ones. We still did the big parties, but a little beer more frequently managed to solve an awful lot of problems.
Hope that gives you food for thought.
So steps to consider might be:
- Raise the alert that there is a problem (acceptance)
- Work out what the causes are? (identify the problems)
- Action remedies (propose solutions)
- Create pressure valves to relieve the strain, even temporarily.
Step 1 suggests building an informal group of people willing to make the changes (whatever they turn out to be). Meet your boss, or colleagues of a similar level. This isn't about solutions, it's about acceptance that something is going badly wrong. The action to result is to start identifying the root causes. Another action is to identify the most trusted people in this group to do this next step.
Step 2: Talk to people. Exit interviews are an idea (if a bit late). Your nominated 'trusted' people need to get talking with everyone: operatives, secretaries, warehouse staff. in particular, look for the key players - older secretaries often turn out to be "mother hens" to the younger girls, and have a really good grasp of what's going on.
Take them for lunch, or a beer after work. Not the quick half hour, but as long as it takes. They will tell you what's wrong. Crucially, remember that they have to absolutely trust their "interviewer/mentor" - what they say in confidence must never be traceable.
Step 3: Well it depends on what Stage 2 told you. It may be simple things (filling the empty jobs). It may be trickier - convincing the senior management to return control to the shop floor. Whatever it is, follow through with conviction. Treat it as if your job is on the line (which in a sense it is, as it sounds like you're wlaking if nothing changes).
Step 4 is actually a step on its own. It sounds like you've tried awaydays, and they don't really deliver. One trick I learned was from a guy who had a remarkable knack of judging the atmosphere. Regularly (once a fortnight) he'd poke his head out the door and say "Sod this, I'm going for a beer. Who's coming". It seemed totally random, and could happen at any time after about 3 o'clock. Beers went on the company credit card, whether it was a quiet £20, or a £300 blowout. Eased the tension; got everyone talking (whether work or just random chat) - chats led to someone else throwing a new idea into the mix; problems were aired (and filed away for future action); spouses could drop in, and become part of the family. The informal nature of it became part of the culture, brought the family back together, and just took the edge off every so often. From small beginnings, it grew to the point where everyone felt obliged to tag along for a quick half every few weeks or so - even the boring ones. We still did the big parties, but a little beer more frequently managed to solve an awful lot of problems.
Hope that gives you food for thought.
stevieb said:
Rich thanks for the reply, i will go digest all this this afternoon and think why the motivation/morale is low. But as i am sitting in the office now with 10 other people no words have been spoken to each other for over 1 hour!! Atmosphere what atmosphere!
I am a Senior Engineer within the company, and have some good links with the Director of the department.
I have already started on Step 1. talking and tryiong to raise that there i a problem within the team. I am hoping they have taken on what i have said and not just accepted there is a problem but i am hoping for them to come back to me by the end of the week to discuss a way forward of solving the problem or how things can be changed in the short term.
I have given them 6 months to turn the office around.
I am a Senior Engineer within the company, and have some good links with the Director of the department.
I have already started on Step 1. talking and tryiong to raise that there i a problem within the team. I am hoping they have taken on what i have said and not just accepted there is a problem but i am hoping for them to come back to me by the end of the week to discuss a way forward of solving the problem or how things can be changed in the short term.
I have given them 6 months to turn the office around.
V8 EOL - Rich said:
stevieb said:
Winning work is not a problem, there is always to much work to do in the alloted time.
Sounds like the ship isn't sinking, just a bit like the Mary Celeste! I think the most important question is are you happy? That should lead you to an obvious decision.
I am hoping that this is a passing storm and will get better but there seems to be no intervention fromt he management to change the day to day running of the office.
stevieb said:
...as i am sitting in the office now with 10 other people no words have been spoken to each other for over 1 hour!! Atmosphere what atmosphere!
I am a Senior Engineer within the company, and have some good links with the Director of the department.
If you have a "sealed environment" of ten people in your office, I'd consider taking the bull by the horns with Step 4.I am a Senior Engineer within the company, and have some good links with the Director of the department.
Pick a good day, and a good pub (walking distance?), ideally outside.
Get £50 out of the boss. Just say you're taking the office out for a drink. You tell him whether or not he should come (this time). If he has a problem with this, you may as well leave now.
Around lunch time stand up and tell everyone "Sod this, let's all go for a beer this evening." Nag, so you get as many out as you can (you'll need at least six)
At the pub, sit them down and jump straight in with "What the hell's going on in the office? There's a really weird atmosphere, and I haven't the faintest what's going on."
Someone will pipe up, and gradually others will chip in. As the ideas come out, you can volunteer to take charge.
When you go back to the boss (and give him back the change - trust) you'll at least have something to start working with. Even if it's just "Yeah. They're not happy". You may not have the answers for Step 3, but it will help with 1 & 2.
Recognise that this means that you will be taking responsibility for sorting things (although you've pretty much accepted this already). You will need to drive repeat beer sessions (including when they extend to other offices). Start watching the politics of the office. Who else has the charisma to drive it with you? Who are enthusiastic, but not leaders - the ones you can rely on to get at least a few people out? Who are the grumpies, and how are you going to get them out?
It sounds tricky, but it's quite easy when you start watching people. Best of all, you'll get a reputation as the person who can get free beer out of the company.
It sounds like you have a really disengaged workforce/ office; sorry, because that must be a hard place to go to work in.
i'd recommend focusing on the absolute basics with people, and as has been suggested encouraging some dialogue. I'd do this by reading a book like "12", but then again, i work as a consultant for Gallup, the publisher, so i guess i would say that. The fact that engagement connects with all sorts of better business outcomes is for you to explore yourself.
I won't get any sales awards for it, but if you're interested in changing the situation, you can get the book here http://www.amazon.co.uk/12-Elements-Managing-Rodd-... , maybe slip it in front of some other people there too...
i'd recommend focusing on the absolute basics with people, and as has been suggested encouraging some dialogue. I'd do this by reading a book like "12", but then again, i work as a consultant for Gallup, the publisher, so i guess i would say that. The fact that engagement connects with all sorts of better business outcomes is for you to explore yourself.
I won't get any sales awards for it, but if you're interested in changing the situation, you can get the book here http://www.amazon.co.uk/12-Elements-Managing-Rodd-... , maybe slip it in front of some other people there too...
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