It’s true that Big Daddy can’t take care of you as in the past. In terms of job security, that’s too bad. But few people want a Big Daddy anymore. They don’t want management making them feel that their benefits are goodies given at the whim of those on top. And they don’t want to think that there are emotional strings attached-like not challenging the top management. Paternalism works when a work force is homogenous, and everybody is willing to play traditional roles. Today’s work force is different. Many women, in particular, may be trying to escape a paternalistic environment by going to work. They want to take care of themselves, not be taken care of.
No, but it matters very much whether they trust it. Trust is built very slowly over time. It requires openness, honesty and the determination to deliver on promises. Trust can be destroyed quickly, almost overnight if changes are not handled with enough care. For instance, Exxon ran into a lot of morale problems, even before the Valdez incident, by throwing out their no-layoff policy that had been in force since before the Great Depression. When employees feel that the bottom line matters more than anything else, their productivity suffers and they see little reason to care about the company. In some companies, layoffs are becoming seen as a normal way of doing business instead of as an incredible disruption to people’s lives.
Actually, the American workplace may begetting better for those who are still working. In researching the revision of our book, we’re having a lot easier time finding good workplaces this time around than we did 10 years ago. Ironically, that’s partly the result of downsizing–especially the elimination of middle managers. Companies have to rely on the people who are left to do a lot of the supervisory work that used to be done by middle managers. So there’s a lot more employee involvement than before.
Good old-fashioned honesty. Nothing hurts morale more than the rumor mill. Top executives from good companies provide a variety of forums where employees can meet with them face to face to ask difficult questions. These range from large gatherings with hundreds of employees to breakfasts or brown-bag lunches with small groups of workers. Some are using technologies like 800 numbers direct to the CEO to give employees more ways to ask questions and register complaints. Tandem Computers holds quarterly teleconference meetings where the top brass answer questions from 10,000 employees who tune in from all over the country. Whatever methods are used, the best companies keep talking, even when the news is not rosy.
Take advantage of training opportunities. And let management know that you’re willing to move into other jobs if needed. The more versatile you are the better chance you have of keeping your job and of finding a new one if you get laid off. Be aware of reality. Ask questions about what’s going on in your industry. And above all, do your job well. The better you do, the better the company does and the less likely you’ll get in trouble.
