It was senior managers who identified the need for a reorganisation to better aline services with customer requirements. It was senior managers who insisted changes in working practices were essential to improve efficiency. It was senior managers who required employees to accept new more flexible contacts in order for the organisation to retain its competitiveness. But organisations are struggling to get senior managers to recognise they to need to change the way they work.
A different way of working is required in an agile organisation. Managers need to recognise they have transferable skills and be comfortable working in areas they have no professional background in or direct experience of.
A different way of working is required in a diverse and inclusive organisation. If an organisation wants to reap the benefits of a diverse workforce them managers need to work out how to make all employees feel valued and included, not treat everyone the same
A different way of working is required in an organisation that works in partnerships and cooperation. Managers know how to compete but do they know how to cooperate? Can they gain the trust of partner agencies? Can they incorporate partner agency priorities within their own organisations strategic priorities? Have they the skills to avoid cost shunting and retreating into core business when the partnership is under stress?
A different way of working is required in an organisation that needs to attract and retain scarce talent. A more compassionate style of management that doesn’t treat employees as a disposable resource to be exploited but as individuals to be supported and nurtured. So achieving results without resorting to the long hours culture and excessive pressure to achieve ever more demanding targets. A willingness to take responsibility for resolving the competing priorities dilemma rather than leaving it to some one else.
A different way of working is required in an organisation where employee engagement and commitment are an essential part of the strategy for success. Whilst organisations pay lip service to the value of engaging employees the experience of their employees is often negative. Senior managers need to model the behaviour they want all managers to adopt. So for instance they need to explain the thinking behind their decisions not simply convey them. This in turn means a willingness to be challenged and open up debate not close it down when it takes a direction they don’t like. Being able to relate to employees across the organisation is an undervalued skill which despite JD’s stipulating,” excellent communication skills” as essential few of the old school have bothered to master.
A different way of working is required where employees and managers work from home for all or part of the week. It was never about the technology it was always about a prevailing view that employees could not be trusted to work without close monitoring. Managers need to shift their thinking and reconfigure tasks to judge employees by what they deliver not the effort and hours they put in.
Managers have enjoyed some notable successes to getting employees to change the way they work can they now change the way they manage?
