Linked – Uncertainty Kills Morale: How to Maintain Motivation Now
There’s a lot of uncertainty in the world right now, and it’s making the people who work for you leery.
That’s not a controversial or political statement. It’s a reality.
What do we know about uncertainty? It makes people very uncomfortable, and they do strange things.
For many managers, you may be in luck because all of that uncertainty makes your employees want to stick with something stable. Assuming, of course, that the situation in your workplace is stable.
If it’s not, and you’re adding to their uncertainty? Look out.
I’ve seen this play out so many times that I consider it to be a cliché. A high-level position is open, and the hiring process drags on and on while we seek out the absolute best candidate. Meanwhile, the team’s future, its potential strategic focus, and the potential reorganization that may be required are all waiting for the new hire. This new person may love what we’re doing. They may hate it. They may want to bring in their people, but they might think we already have a great team.
When it comes to employee retention, we have a significant advantage over other firms that are looking to hire away our best talent. This is the known quantity. They know what this job entails, what is expected of them, and who they will be working with. At a new position, we don’t know any of that. That might not be enough to keep people all the time (for example, 25% more money could make it insignificant), but it’s the one thing that might cause someone to say no to a different opportunity.
Take away the “known quantity” advantage and leave your team dangling for an extended period, and those other opportunities start to look better and better. That’s how you can quickly transition from hiring one executive to replacing a number of people in short order.
If you expect people to stay engaged and motivated, communicate with them. With everything going on out there, there’s plenty they feel uncertain about. At work, they’re unsure about new technology. Will AI replace them? Most experts believe AI is more suitable for helping them be more effective in their roles, rather than replacing them. However, they see the Shopify CEO discussing the use of AI to reduce headcount. Have you communicated your plans for AI in the workplace? Have you had open conversations about the future of the business and their roles in it?
If you haven’t, you’ve created uncertainty. You may not like what that does to your employees.
PS – If you do communicate that you want everyone to use AI but have no plans to take the added productivity to reduce headcount, no one believes you. Don’t be surprised if that uncertainty isn’t something you can resolve.
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