How do I help somebody who doesn’t want to be helped?

November 22, 2024

Hi, Karyn.

I’ve spent months warning my team that redundancies are coming and trying to get them to pull together and concentrate on how we can present our value as a team so we can avoid losing people.

Most of them have responded really well but I have a couple who genuinely don’t believe they’re at risk.

They absolutely are, especially as there are some longstanding performance issues in that unit. I’m really frightened for them because they’re ‘lifers’ in this place, they’ve never worked anywhere else, and one of them is in his 50s and has been pretty resistant to upskilling.

I also can’t afford to lose staff from my team, we’re struggling to meet expectations as it is, so while they’re not ideal team members by any means I selfishly don’t want to lose what they contribute. If there was any chance of me being allowed to replace staff made redundant I’d be less worried about the longer term but the message is loud and clear that that won’t happen.

Suggestions, please? How do I get through to them?

CK

Dearest CK, I doubt you CAN get through to them, but let me offer a few insights and strategies.

First, the ‘lifers’ term along with longstanding performance issues and resistance in upskilling are red flags to me.

People who’ve been in organisations a long time have inevitably seen (and survived) cycles of — for want of better terms — boom and bust. And having survived downturns in the past, it’s understandable some might think, “it’s not as bad as she says; I’ve heard this talk before and I’m still here.”

If there are longstanding performance issues, ie poor performance that hasn’t been appropriately addressed in the past, you can understand why some people might believe if they dig their heels in and keep their heads down, change will once again pass them by. And sometimes that remains true. But increasingly often, change overtakes them and they’re left out in the cold. And as the leader who tried to tell them and wasn’t listened to, you’ll also be the one blamed for their misfortune. Perk of the job.

The second issue — not having sufficient of the right resources in your team to meet expectations — is also problematic when redundancies are imminent because no, if one or more of the positions in your team are made redundant, you WON’T be able to replace them, at least in the short term.

There’s a job to do then around clarifying the resultant expectations following the staffing changes, setting your own clear boundaries around what is and isn’t possible to achieve with the staff cohort you’re left with, and then restructuring your team and upskilling where necessary to future-proof your people while meeting organisational objectives.

So: what’s to be done now?

I’m going to make some assumptions in the absence of a call with you that would give me more detail — and if my assumptions are incorrect, please book a call with me so I can help you identify more effective stratgies.

Assumption 1: As part of the redundancy program, you’ll be allocated a staff budget which is less than your current staff budget and you’ll be expected to decide who will be made redundant.

Assumption 2: A first round of voluntary redundancies will be offered.

Assumption 3: There’s insufficient time now to appropriately manage the issues of poor performance before the redundancies are finalised.

Assumption 4: You have a positive and trusting/trusted relationship with your own boss.

IF these assumptions are reliable, let’s plot out some strategies for what you could do next, with the objective being to keep your team as intact and functional as it needs to be once redundancies take effect.

1. Time to do some mapping, if you haven’t already. Based on your knowledge of your organisation, your sector and the changes likely to impact your team’s functionality in the short and mid terms, what would a 10% smaller staff structure look like? How would it operate? What functions would continue? What functions would you let go? Then do the same with a 20% smaller staff structure. Then map as many of your current team as you can, on a skills/experience basis, to the new, smaller structures. As you’re mapping, contemplate which of your team if any might welcome a voluntary redundancy. This is obviously only speculation, and not for you to act on at all, but it’s good to be prepared in your thinking. Often, voluntary redundancies are taken by high-performing team members confident they’ll pick up a new job quickly.
2. You then need a frank discussion with your boss about the likely expectations of your team AFTER the redundancies are enacted. What outcomes will your team be expected to deliver? What functions or activities will be of lesser importance or can be dropped altogether? What’s the likely budget impact you’ll be expected to absorb? How much flexibility can you have in restructuring your smaller team after the redundancies so those remaining are appropriately positioned, supported and rewarded to achieve the new expectations? If it makes sense to you once you have these answers, produce your map options and talk through with your boss how you might make it work.
3. Be open, honest, regular and consistent in communications with all of your team members about the imminent redundancies. Get yourself as informed as you can about the process — the when and how, particularly — and communicate this proactively with them. Be prepared for their questions and their emotions. If you don’t have an answer to a question, be honest and say you don’t know, and commit to find out — and then immediately pass the questions as far up the chain as you need to go to get answers for your people.
4. Get some support for your own emotional journey. Redundancy processes are hideous on leaders who care about their teams. You’ll be required to make decisions you don’t want to make, and/or to enact decisions you don’t agree with. You’ll be dealing with everybody else’s emotions as well as your own. It’s a lot.
5. As for the two ‘lifers’: communicate with them just as you do every other of your team members. They are adults. You’re their leader, not their mother. Bring your compassionate empathy to your interactions with them, but don’t take responsibility for trying to change their attitudes or behaviours. Should they be made redundant, you’ll counsel them about the assistance your organisation is offering all staff made redundant. Should they survive the redundancy process, which is very possible if there’s a voluntary redundancy program, you’ll have the opportunity — and the necessity — to address the performance issues as part of the essential restructuring. If you’re directly responsible for their performance, your HR team will be able to advise you on this. If these staff don’t report directly to you, I encourage you to work closely and supportively with their supervisor and HR to address the poor performance.

Go gently with yourself, CK. Some tough times ahead, but with sensitivity and savvy, you can lead your team through such a process to renewed clarity of purpose and performance.

Happy to discuss in a call if my assumptions are incorrect.

Every good wish,

Karyn