People often reach out to me in the midst of challenging workplace situations that directly impact them as an employer, as a manager, or as an employee. Or they may be planning for a change that will inevitably impact their staff, and want to take a proactive approach to how they manage and communicate about it.
In the case of a current workplace challenge, I start by understanding what they are experiencing. The immediate circumstances usually aren’t the problem itself, but are actually the result of what isn’t working on the job. The right solution is often a mix of practical guidance to navigate the situation at hand, as well as follow-up interventions and adjustments to how the managers and employees are interacting with each other day-to-day:
- performance management processes that help set and monitor workplace goals and priorities,
- leadership development to ensure that managers are trained on how to communicate with, delegate to, and motivate their employees, and
- employee relations interventions and strategies to foster an environment where employees feel engaged and appreciated.
Proactive HR planning can be especially helpful in cases of:
- Employee separation or reduction in force;
- Major changes to workplace policy, office relocation, etc.
- Leadership changes;
- Reorganizations; and
- Mergers/Acquisitions
…just to name a few.