We can do better...

Author: Aodan Coburn

17.03.2021

It had been several weeks since he had last had a decent night’s sleep, things were changing at work and not for the good! His boss had exited, divisions were being combined and strangers were now determining his and the company’s future.

The assurances, that no decisions had yet been made, though undoubtedly factually correct did not fit with his sense that colleagues were treating him differently, it was subtle but almost as if they knew something he did not.

He shared his concerns with his family whilst at the same time assuring them that that all would be fine. Now in his early fifties he reflected on a tenure that spanned thirty years, with hard work and dedication rewarded by promotion and progression.

Part of him confident that his loyalty and contribution would be recognised, a greater part knowing that nothing is guaranteed in a world where organizational change is constant.

When the call came it was brutal, he could hardly stand up, the air had been pushed from his lungs and his head was spinning. The language used was appropriate: “a hard decision, change in direction, a new approach required, market forces, we appreciate your contribution, we’ll be fair, HR will follow up” and perhaps worst of all “it’s not personal”.

Everyone in the company seemed to be instantly aware. While dealing with his own grief, he had to reassure those who were concerned about their own futures, calming those who seemed angry on his behalf and advising those who were trying to figure out how to reposition themselves in the new organization.

The fact that St Patrick was Welsh, that Irish Bars have little or no connection to Ireland, and that most people who celebrate it, have no real notion of where it originates from, does not matter. If anything, it adds to the mischievous wonder of the day.

The meeting with HR though courteous, was heart breaking. After a few words confirming his departure he was suddenly in a negotiation, with those whom he used to partner with.

He wondered if the junior HR executive he dealt with was even born, when he started his career and pondered if it was a deliberate strategy for him to engage with someone who had no sense or appreciation of his contribution to the company, a company that now saw him as very much surplus to requirements.

A fair exit package was agreed, he stayed on for a few weeks to support a transition that was ending a major part of his life and which he was now expected to publicly support, as the right way forward.

There was a good attendance at his leaving function, respect was paid, gifts were given, and thanks were expressed. He was privately commended for the professional and dignified way in which he had handled the situation. Despite this he could not help feeling that he had become an embarrassment, someone whom the Company now wanted to quickly depart.

It was several weeks before he woke to the terror that life as he had known it had changed totally. He was on his own, no longer part of an organisation that would” always remember him” but in truth had itself already moved on.

It was several long and wasteful years before he found himself in a better place, by which time those who had determined his exit had themselves moved on.

Companies clearly need the ability to change organizationally as business requires, however there must be a better way to support those who have contributed so much.

What message does it send to the broader organisation, what does it communicate about the company’s culture and how individuals are valued? What behaviours does it elicit from those who survive, ultimately aware that the company’s commitment to them is short term and tactical?

We can do better by directly communicating about market changes and business challenges, by consistently upskilling and investing in people right across their career, by ensuring that exits are professional, courteous, identified as far out as possible, and with all parties brought along the journey, which does not finish until the individual has found their next opportunity or role.

Coaching can and is an important part of any approach, guiding and supporting people through their careers, challenging and most of all creating awareness around opportunities and the reality that Executives always need to be considering their own strategies, for a better and more fulfilled life, if you will independently be owning the arch of their own story.

The company too needs to heal by celebrating the contribution of those who have gone before, and where possible keeping them in the community, by for example inviting them to attend company events, and again Coaching can play an important part in supporting this journey.

We maintain that better organisational outcomes can be achieved by creating an equitable psychological contract between the company and employees, based on mutual support, within a coaching culture where growing personal awareness not only characterises but define the company.