Why is it that employees get disillusioned when companies come out with a new program?
In many organizations it seems that every six months there is another new program being introduced, whether to improve productivity or to boost morale. Employees often don’t understand why the program is introduced, or how it can help them directly. Did the boss read a new management book? Was the introduction of this new program on the agenda of the conference that management went to last month? Did a management consultant with a high profile do a good sales job on the owner?
FAILURE TO EXPLAIN
New programs can be introduced into organizations for any of the reasons listed above. Unfortunately, many managers fail to introduce the new program properly, resulting in disillusionment, passive resistance, and even negative results. The value inherent in the program is frequently lost—not because the program is bad or ill-conceived—but because there is no buy-in from the employee body.
Often times the new program is introduced as being the new answer to all management problems. The fact that management has not previously recognized a problem in a particular area doesn’t matter. The new program will solve all things.
When introducing a new program, management needs to recognize that a problem exists. They need to communicate this shortfall to their employees. After they have communicated what the problem is, they can then introduce the new approach after explaining how it will address the problem at hand.
When employees understand what is trying to be achieved, they are more likely to receive the new initiative with open minds. Those employees that are truly working for the organization (there are always a few people drawing paycheques who aren’t really working for the company) will be able to appraise its impact and determine if the result is positive. They will be able to determine if the cost of learning the new idea or technique is worth the effort.
If the organization has an environment where good, honest communication is encouraged, employees will be able and willing to give management feedback.
WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE OLD WAY?
Recently, when working on the introduction of a new performance management program for a client, I was preparing a presentation for the employees. My presentation set out the various benefits of the new program. It described the rationale for the new program and provided implementation guidelines.
Although I was relatively familiar with the client’s existing program and recognized its shortfalls, I had not planned on referring to it to any great extent in my presentation. Fortunately, I realized my error before making the presentation—not referring to or outright ignoring the old or existing program is never a good idea when implementing a new program.
If a program has been in place for a period of time and was promoted as being good, then what message is sent when a new program is introduced without any mention of the old?
In order to be more successful in introducing new concepts, managers must compare it to the old practice. Explaining where the programs are similar as well as where they are different will enhance employees’ understanding of the new initiative.
Occasionally, when developing the comparison between the two programs, management may determine that the new program does not provide enough added value to overcome the cost of its introduction and implementation. The wise manager will drop the new idea at that point even though the speaker at the conference said that it was the “successful new way” of addressing the problem area. Being transparent enough to admit mistakes and realize when you’ve made a wrong move (or are about to make a wrong move) is vital in all aspects of management—especially when introducing new programs.