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Change is never easy, and when you’re dealing with change that potentially impacts an individual’s ability to financially support themselves and their family, it can be very hard all round.

Looking at your business critically to make sure you have the right number of people, with the right skills in the right positions doing the right things is an essential part of managing your business well. It is also an on-going process. When this is undertaken in a tight economic climate, it often means that downsizing options need to be explored.

Despite best intentions, detailed planning and a thorough process, it is easy to make one small mistake which can derail everything.

In life, change in inevitable.

In business, change is vital.

(Warren G. Bennis)

We work with a variety of organisations supporting them with their change processes, so we thought we would highlight the most common mistakes we see, so you can make sure you tread a safe path in your business.

What NOT to do in a change process:

1. Don’t keep your team in the dark around the business position

We know that most of us like to keep things positive and don’t want to cause unnecessary stress for our teams. However, it is important that your team do have some prior understanding that trading may not be quite where you need it to be. If a restructure is the first your team learn about this it can come as an unpleasant surprise, can be more emotional and ultimately more difficult for everyone.

2. Don’t announce that a restructuring is being considered before you have made a definite decision to proceed with the process and are well organised

Talking about the possibility of a downsize well before the process starts is risky and can cause unnecessary stress for your team, both those who might be impacted and those who will not. It can result in resignations from valuable team members, undermine morale and negatively affect the process when you do start.

Keep the messaging clear on business conditions but stay away from talk around restructures until you know what you are doing and have a clear plan.

3. Don’t have any side chats with some of your team.

If you are involved in implementing a new internal promotion or appointment, it can be tempting to want to let the person/s in on a potential restructuring plan so that they know that they will be safe. The intention being to make sure you retain them and keep them engaged. It is a risky move. It is also relatively common for these people to share this information and undermine the integrity of a genuine process. If your team learns the selection process is predetermined then no matter how well the change process is conducted, you put your business at risk.

4. Don’t neglect the detail

Often businesses will focus on the business rationale and forget the job details or job descriptions. Your team don’t only need to know “why” you are considering the change, they also need to know what it means for them, what job they may be doing or where their current tasks will be reassigned to. And if a role is being disestablished and other staff are picking up their tasks, these people need to be consulted with as well.

5. Don’t ignore the feedback given.

All feedback should be properly considered and responded to. This includes even the small details that may appear to not have any impact on the overall outcome of the process. We’ve seen some great ideas come from feedback in a change process, so even though you may have a clear idea of what you want to do, it is imperative to keep an open mind. All solutions and alternatives should be considered, including possibly tweaking a job description, having part time options, or something completely different that might be suggested.

6. Don’t expect your team to be operating in a completely BAU space during the change process

Change is hard, and depending on the scale of change some of your team may not be able to focus on anything else. Plan for this at the beginning. Could people work from home? Can they have special leave? Can you take the pressure off for a while? We suggest planning the timing, taking care to cater for any critical business projects or deadlines and making sure your leaders know to keep the pressure off during this time.

A good change process includes:

• A clear well thought out business case and plan.
• Clear and honest communication
• A genuine consultation period and consideration of feedback
• Empathy and support for your team

While change processes are tough for any organisation, a detailed step-by-step plan and schedule makes for reduced risk and fair implementation.

Positive People have over 30 years’ experience supporting businesses to get change processes right. Call us now on 09-445 1077.

Recently one of our team was working with a newly appointed Supervisor, and he asked her advice on correcting some payroll mistakes. The back story was that his team had been working long hours for two weeks to get something urgent completed for a customer and through an administrative oversight hadn’t been paid their overtime. He was livid and sick of being told the office team were “too busy” to help right now. He and his team were on the verge of walking out.

While we managed to calm him down and work through the issue constructively, it did start us thinking about business priorities and reflecting on where your team sit on your priority list?

We act with urgency to deliver for our customers, and we expect our team to do the same…….

But how much urgency do we attach to delivering for our own team?

No doubt your customers don’t have to chase you to respond to emails, fix mistakes or answer questions. That in turn ensures that they trust you, want to work with you again and builds a true customer partnership.

Applying the same principals with your team can have the same results and is a solid foundation for engagement and high performance.

“If you look after your staff, they’ll look after your customers. It’s that simple.”

Richard Branson.

We all set high customer service standards and create excellent service philosophies, so we definitely should be doing the same for our own team. The simple things matter so start small, make clear promises and keep them.

We suggest:

• Always pay them correctly and if there is a mistake fix it with urgency.
• Reply to staff emails as soon as possible, in any event within within 24 hours, even if it is with a holding email to say you will provide more information tomorrow.
• If you give them a time frame for an answer, keep it.
• If someone in your team sets a meeting with you, prioritise it – turn up on time and only cancel in an emergency.
• If someone in your team asks for help, say yes. You may not be able to help straight away (great if you can), but you can make it a priority and schedule a meeting as soon as possible.
• If it is performance review or pay review time, do them when you say you will.
• If you conduct a Staff Engagement Survey, provide feedback on the results and respond as soon a possible
• If a re-imbursement is owed, pay it promptly

These basics, which actually only reflect common courtesy, are crucial!

You can have the most impressive HR systems and communication plans in the world, but if your daily actions don’t show your team they are important and your top priority, then the rest won’t matter.

Getting this right and having high internal service standards will help your team deliver exceptional results and get right behind your external customer service promise.

Positive People have 30 years’ experience helping organisations build strong teams.

Call us now on 09 445 1077 – We can help.

The program will consist of 4 x 3-hour workshops across 3 months and cover best practice theory and experiential learning so that the skills are directly transferable to the workplace.

Details are: 

Dates: 21 May, 11 June, 3 July, 23 July

Time: 10am – 1pm

Location: Richmond Yacht Club

Price: $250+GST per workshop, invoiced monthly at the completion of each session

To register your leaders on the program please complete this form: Register now.

Workshop Overview

Workshop 1: Leadership

* Understanding yourself as a leader

* Understanding the importance of varying your leadership style

* Being confident using different styles for different people

Workshop 2: Communication, Feedback & Coaching

* Different communication styles

* Barriers to good communication

* Feedback models

* Coaching models

Workshop 3: Team Building, Motivation & Influencing

* Building trust and understanding within your team

* Positional power vs. Personal power

* Motivational models & factors

Workshop 4: Holding Your Team Accountable, Dealing with Difficult Conversations, and Conflict

* Understanding conflict, the good and the bad

* Resolving conflict using the conflict model

* Having accountability conversations

The Reserve Bank has just cut the Official Cash Rate again this week. This is good news. It builds on the emerging confidence that has been starting to show it’s head.

At just this very inconvenient time, the scary tariff scenario hits centre stage!

So, doubts creep in.

Amid all the “to-ing and fro-ing” and negotiation games being played with tariffs, we understand it might be challenging to find a positive “go forward” mindset. A wait and see approach might feel like the one to take.

However, the problem with this, for businesses, is that the economy turns on confidence, and confidence breeds confidence. When we see others take positive steps forward, it encourages us to do the same. When no one takes the lead in this space, we stay stuck in the current environment. And if we want change for forward momentum in our business, we all have a part to play in getting things going again.

“If you think it’s going to rain, it will. “

Clint Eastwood. 

This strongly filters through to your team and ultimately impacts your results. If your team sense hesitancy or negativity from you, they will behave accordingly. Engagement usually decreases, innovation is stalled, and productivity is low.

Expressing confidence when you don’t necessarily feel it can feel disingenuous. It can also undermine your team’s trust if the future picture doesn’t turn out as rosy as you promised.

The good news is that there is such a thing as realistic and cautious optimism and that forms a very important part of motivating your team in the right direction.

So, it is a delicate balance to get right. You need to build an environment of positivity and optimism, balanced with realism, to get optimum results right now.

“A positive mindset brings positive things.”

Peter Reiter.

So, where to start?

1. Change your mindset – You get back what you project out, so what attitude are you showing your team? Things won’t get better unless you believe they will, so starting with your own motivation is the first step.
2. What positive actions can you take? – A lot of what’s happening right now is beyond our control, but what is in your control? Can you increase your marketing efforts? Build stronger relationships with key clients? Make a product improvement? These forward actions will help you and your team start to build momentum and mean that you are well positioned when the market does improve.
3. Express belief to your team – If you believe in yourself, believe in your business and believe in your team, despite the challenges, this is a powerful message. Communicating this to your team will help them to get in behind you and rise to the occasion.
4. Celebrate the small wins and have a bit of fun – We all feel a lot better after a good laugh or something makes us smile. It is easy to let these things go when times are tough, but they are more important than ever at the moment. These don’t have to be costly exercises. Focusing on regular positive reinforcement, having a Friday BBQ, a shared morning tea – all easy to implement with such positive results.

Being deliberate about what energy and attitude you want to share with your team, and what you need from them will make a big difference to their efforts and the results you achieve.

And while we can’t influence a lot of what’s happening externally right now – each of us still have much that we can control. Focusing on this, doing it well and doing it deliberately will help your team, and your business keep scoring the runs you need right now.

Positive People have over 30 years’ experience helping to build positive high performing cultures. Contact us now on 09-445-1077 or info@positivepeople.co.nz to help you create a culture of realistic positivity.  

With Summer now on our doorstep there is an opportunity to channel enhanced energy into some excitement and increased motivation at work.

The sun’s out, the beaches are full and everywhere you look, people have a spring in their step. It is a great feeling!

And with it comes a new sense of vitality, increased optimism and a feeling that things are on the up.

How can you capture this feeling and have your workplace buzzing at this time of year?

With a few creative initiatives, you can harness this great summer energy and use it to maintain engagement right throughout the season. And boost productivity along the way.

Set clear “Before Christmas” goals

Short-term stretch goals can be helpful right now.

They give your team a focus, direction, purpose and some end goals. Their daily tasks become more meaningful. Shooting for set goals keeps energy focused and channeled on important deliverables.

Setting more short-term goals and then celebrating milestones will keep the energy levels high and set in the right direction.

Refresh your recognition strategy to align with your Christmas goals

Recognition, whether it is through public praise, awards, social occasions or something more tangible like vouchers, makes a big difference to your team’s motivation.

Implement a summer innovation challenge

When energy is high, creativity also increases, so now is good time to take advantage of this by providing an environment of innovation.

• What fresh ideas do your team have for next year?
• What problems can they solve?
• What processes can they improve?

Giving them encouragement, space and a framework to do something that challenges them and feels meaningful is fun and will also improve your business.

Take meetings outside

Meetings don’t have to be attached to a PowerPoint.

Fresh air and sunlight are proven to increase energy, improve your mood and also do wonders for mental health and wellbeing. You will need to find a great outdoor space that is comfortable and pleasant to be in.

A spot that works will encourage positivity and openness. Be prepared for more conversation, sharing of ideas and a lot more laughter.

Introduce Summer Friday’s

Wouldn’t we all rather be at the beach than the office at 3pm on a Friday? Is there any reason why this can’t be orchestrated? Perhaps working a little longer on other days or hitting set targets earlier allows this to become a reality for your team. They would love it and would most likely surprise you with what they can achieve.

The carrot may not be an early Friday finish. It could be offering increased flexibility or shifting core hours earlier.

Allowing time for focused work and enjoying the season will mean your team spend less time looking longingly out the window at the sun and more time focused on delivery.

Take advantage of the increased energy and sense of wellbeing that summer brings and capture it with innovative work options.

Recognising and implementing smart strategies to keep your team focused, firing and having fun will keep your business strong right through the season.

Positive People have over 30 years’ experience helping businesses to get the best from their team’s. Call us now on 0800 00 00 49.

Whatever your problem, we can help.

The silly season is upon us, and all across the country HR professionals hold their breath…..what festive mess will we be dealing with this year?

Yes, the annual Christmas celebration. Loved by your team, also slightly feared by your senior team, but always important to say thank you for a year of hard work.

Even though it’s been a tough year for most businesses, it is likely that you will be looking to do a little something for your team to celebrate the end of the year. Whether it’s a low-key BBQ at the office, dinner out or simply an after-work drink, there is always the possibility of mischief.

Best to be pro-active, set expectations up front, and make sure you are mindful of what can go wrong.

Here are a few Do’s and Don’ts from us; to help make sure your function is the special celebration you are hoping for, and you don’t have any doozies to deal with.

Do:

• Set clear expectations before the event – Making sure your team consider their behaviour and what’s acceptable prior to the function can head off any high jinks they may be planning.
• If alcohol is involved, have a plan – Don’t forget you still have H & S responsibilities, even at a function. Consider how you limit the quantity available, what to do if someone has too much and how you will make sure your team all get home safe.
• Have a definite end time and make sure everyone leaves the venue – Some of your team may like to kick on, and that’s great for them. You just want to make sure it’s very clear any behaviour following the event is not your responsibility.
• Take time to talk to as many of your team as possible – It’s a really nice way to finish the year getting a personal “thank you for your hard work” from your boss and this is a great time to do it.
• Enjoy yourself – It’s time for you to celebrate the end of the year as well so try and have fun too

Don’t:

• Skip it – It may be tempting to think “this is mostly for the team” but this sends a very big message around how much you value them and their efforts. This is a must attend event.
• Drink too much – If you have a small team, you feel close to, it may feel like you can completely relax and totally let your hair. You can’t! Make sure you are not the one everyone is talking about on Monday morning.
• Get too familiar with individuals in your team – Have fun but keep it professional throughout
• Be anti-social or look bored – Appearing like you would like to be somewhere else is as bad as not showing up at all. This event is all about making your team feel valued and important.
• Forget to acknowledge the people who did the organising – This is just good manners and will encourage them to take the lead on this in the future.

And once again – enjoy yourself! Even if you have host responsibilities, this should still be a fun night.

And if it isn’t, you can always call us – we have 30+ years’ experience dealing with the Christmas doozies!