Dr. Roberta Neault
There’s no doubt that the BC economy is in the midst of a challenging time. As we enter 2009, more and more experts acknowledge that we are in a global recession. At the same time, many workplaces are struggling to recruit and retain skilled workers. As a result, employees and managers are expected to do more with less.
HR professionals are well-positioned to significantly impact individual and organizational wellbeing during times like these. They have a keen understanding of what diverse individuals are looking for from employers; they also know what employers need from their workers in order to keep the business viable.
When skilled workers are hard to find, organizations tend to focus on recruitment, retention, and employee engagement initiatives. Coaches supporting individuals, on the other hand, address career management and work-life balance concerns. At a policy level, governments may adjust immigration requirements or focus on initiatives that facilitate inter-provincial labour mobility. When an economic downturn is concurrent with a shortage of skilled workers, the challenges are exponentially more complex. But solutions won’t be found in silos – to achieve sustainability at the individual, organizational, national, or global level will require a holistic approach.
We can look to environmental initiatives for models of sustainable systems – forest renewal projects, recycling programs, and the current efforts to replace plastic bags with canvas are all simple examples. According to Wikipedia, sustainability is “a state that can be maintained at a certain level indefinitely.” What will it take for your employees to maintain their current state? Your organizations? You, yourself?
The Role of HR Professionals
As Human Resource professionals, what’s your role in ensuring individual and organizational sustainability? Sustainable systems have some common elements: initial resources (inputs), efficient use of resources (energy conservation), the ability to adapt to change or weather storms (resilience), the capacity to replenish (additional resources / nourishment), and proactive maintenance (e.g., thinning a growing forest, releasing water from a floodgate before torrential rains, maintenance shutdowns in a mill). Similarly, sustainable organizations need the right people, working productively, equipped to adapt to upcoming changes, committed to continuous learning and professional development, and responsive to feedback. There will be times that even the healthiest organizations need to engage in maintenance – conducting evaluations, removing or “repairing” people who aren’t working effectively, and refreshing or “tuning up” the top performers so that their contributions will continue.
Sustainability challenges may be specific to sector, geographic region, or national economies. At the very time that one sector is laying off by the hundreds, another may be actively recruiting candidates overseas. HR professionals can support organizations to make responsible (rather than reactive) people decisions; they can also support individuals to effectively manage their own careers, even if it may mean leaving the organization temporarily (as in a seasonal layoff) or permanently (as a result of corporate restructuring).
In a survey of career practitioners in BC in Fall, 2008, almost all respondents reported that 20% or more of their unemployed clients had left their last jobs due to stress. HR professionals can educate managers and the executive team about the impact of excessive busyness. In the short term, most individuals are resilient enough to do more with less. However, in the long term, chronic stress contributes to burnout, which may manifest as absenteeism, presenteeism, apathy, errors, accidents, and missed deadlines.
Sustainability Strategies
Effective sustainability strategies will be customized – similar to thinning a re-planted forest or providing just enough water to replenish a terrarium. Individuals may benefit from flexible work arrangements; however, not at the sacrifice of business needs. Wellness initiatives may reduce absenteeism and enhance productivity. In one UK-based charity with minimal budget for “perks,” the simple strategy of supplying each location with a coffee-maker and kettle reduced turnover considerably. Solutions needn’t be expensive to be appreciated and have a significant impact on the organization.
Equipping managers to engage in meaningful career conversations can also impact retention, engagement, and both individual and organizational sustainability - as long as those conversations lead to action. Both individuals and organizations can benefit from enrichment projects, leadership opportunities, and flexible scheduling.
Educating managers to recognize signs of distress is another contribution HR professionals can make. Proactively dealing with early signs of burnout or boredom is far more effective than waiting until an employee is on long-term medical leave or has accepted a position with a competitor.
Making It Personal
As HR professionals you’re not immune from sustainability concerns. Take time to reflect on what’s working and what’s not in terms of your own life balance and goals. Pay attention to the subtle changes that indicate potential issues – are you juggling more projects? Disengaging from your work? Sacrificing your personal health or family time? Working longer and resting less? Dropping balls?
In challenging times, it’s important to be proactive. Just as you may have struggled to build the new habit of taking canvas bags with you to the grocery store, it will take intentional effort to set clearer boundaries, build healthier habits, engage in spiritual practices, or nurture relationships.
When flying on an airplane with children or others who need our help, we are cautioned to put our own oxygen masks on first, should the need arise. It’s simply not sustainable to ignore that advice – we won’t have the capacity to help others if we refuse to take care of ourselves. As human resource professionals, focus on your own sustainability first. Once that’s under control, you’ll have the energy and the empathy to help others. Ultimately, sustaining employees will contribute to the organization’s sustainability as well. It’s all connected!
Roberta Neault is presenting the webinar Sustainability: Building Organizational Capacity Thru People on January 29. For more information on this and other sessions, visit BC HRMA’s online calendar.
About the Author:
Dr. Roberta Neault is president of Life Strategies Ltd. and consults to individuals and organizations on work-life balance and sustainability issues.