By: Kriss Barlow, RN, MBA
A recent Harvard Business Review article (Zenger and Folkman) identified six factors common to employees who were laid off during organizational downsizing at Fortune 100 companies. As healthcare organizations move to more belt tightening and associated layoffs the topic is worrisome to the professionals in physician relations, recruitment and marketing. Sometimes there is nothing different that could be done, however; these attributes mirror what leaders look for in great employees. It is the value proposition at a personal level. Look over the list and inventory where you stand.
1. Employees were not viewed as strategic. Often, the employees who were laid off had been more focused on immediate operational, technical or functional issues, according to the article.
2. Employees did not consistently deliver results. Employees who were let go tended to be those who missed deadlines or did not follow through on projects they had committed to. Exact measurement is hard, but striving to show results – referrals, recruits, contacts, in a way that aligns with the leadership goals is more important than ever.
3. Employees’ ethics had been called into question. While this showed up in the HBR study, I think it is pretty rare in our profession. (Or my Pollyanna approach just does not see it?)
4. Employees had poor interpersonal skills. Again, I believe that the strategists and professionals that we work with have excellent skills in this area; it’s a requirement. The nuance of course is that those same professional skills are also used outside the professional role.
5. Employees were resistant to personal and/or organizational change. Generally, this means they were not willing to ask for and respond to feedback from colleagues. Healthcare is not an environment that lives for change. In today’s market, there is so much conversation about change but really committing to try new approaches is tough. This is one of those questions that may result in some soul-searching.
6. Employees had recently lost a sponsor. More than half of the employees affected in the article recently reported losing the support of a mentor or sponsor. They had no one advocating for them to stay. Relations and recruitment often succumb to the challenges of changing leadership and a “lack of understanding what we really do.” A good business plan that shows what you are doing, aligned with the strategic needs of the organization, and metrics will go a long way in letting the internal stakeholders understand the value you bring.
Nobody wants to worry about job security, and once someone starts asking about your value, it is tough to create a retrospective vision of progress. Better to be proactive, make sure they know they can’t live without you!