Practicing the preach
In their article ‘Maximizing Your Return on People’ which appeared in the Harvard Business Review, Laurie Bassi and Daniel Mcmurrer state that “Managers are fond of the maxim employees are our most important asset. Yet, beneath the rhetoric, too many executives still regard and treat - employees as costs. That’s dangerous because, for many companies, people are the only source of long-term competitive advantage” – how true!
Let’s just pause for a moment and focus on the industry that has people caring for people. We all agree that ‘customers come first’. Those in the service industry, particularly in the hospitality trade are constantly reminded of this by leaders - who ‘walk-the-talk’...right? Wrong!
How often do we encounter situations where managers urge department heads to address customers every need promptly and efficiently, to provide exceptional levels of standards, consistently in order to achieve the desired ‘sales results’, and yet; cut customer frontline staff for the customary (no pun intended), ‘layoffs during bad times’. The decision to cut staff levels may be necessary and, is an option, usually carried out efficiently and briskly by managers with sound reasoning - to justify its impact on the ‘bottom line’. However, very seldom do these same managers respond with equal speed to restore staff levels to ‘meet the challenges of good times’, as to do so, will again impact on the bottom line. Right? Absolutely right...but, for the wrong reasons!
Managers fear that the additional costs incurred on increasing staff will shatter the ‘window dressing’ i.e. the presentation of accounts in a more favourable light –more the risk when nearer the closing of the financial year. After all, there is a lot riding for the manager, on making budget at the very least, as otherwise he or she stands to forfeit one’s annual bonus. There is however, a greater price to pay. Inconsistencies between what bosses say and do, damage employees trust, setting off a chain reaction which erodes hard-to-measure profitability.
Employees must be able to see that the manager’s words are aligned to his/her reactions. Only then would employees trust managers who truly demonstrate following through on their promises and the values they preached. Credibility is a tough cookie, dispensed very grudgingly and slowly by employees, and, once accorded – is as precious as water in the Sahara desert, yet quick to evaporate. A manager who is found to break an important promise is very likely to have trouble recovering. Managers are like politicians functioning under a coalition. Communicating with different groups, each understanding a preferred language, and, it’s own priorities. Dealing with Shareholders, Directors, the CEO, Department Heads, Supervisors, Staff, the Union....there is inevitably bound to be a conflict in words and actions, with those in one group receiving a message intended for another.
Now let’s recall the manager who preached the ‘customer first’ sermon, and yet, cut customer service staff? He was merely following through his promise to directors that he will cut departments’ budget by 10%. The priorities he expressed to staff and shareholders differed diametrically. Is this breach of trust? It all depends on whom you ask. When managers fail to maintain integrity and allow employees to sense inconsistent behaviour, the effects are harmful. Employees become disillusioned, lose trust, are unwilling to commit, are less receptive to new ideas and changes, become less productive, and short change customer satisfaction – all of which impacts on profits.
Shafeek Wahab – Editor, Hospitality Sri Lanka, Consultant, Trainer, Ex-Hotelier |
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