Converging Trends Can Cause Chaos
Pepsi, among other companies, laid off workers before Christmas. Although the inflation rate is slowing, companies like Amazon, Salesforce, and Goldman Sachs are also scheduled to lay off thousands of workers.
At a Brooklyn Chamber Of Commerce meeting last month, quiet quitting was mentioned. One of the attendees mentioned ghosting which was a new word for me. Ghosting occurs when new hires complete the interview process, accept an offer of employment, sign all the documentation, and never show up to work on the start date. I asked myself: what would compel a new hire to “ghost” an employer? Not knowing how to say ‘I’ve changed my mind?’ Lacking re-negotiation skills? Perhaps not understanding how to navigate face-to-face conflict in the increasingly digital workplace?
Employers are at wits’ end with new work norms, yet employees increasingly demand changes to workplace culture. The onus to comply is on the employer, and making sweeping changes can cost a great deal of time and money. It can also have an invisible impact on corporate culture. A December downturn in the stock market, especially in tech-based stocks, has left companies wondering what’s next.
Individual workers are coping with increased prices of food and gasoline, as well as decreased 401K values. They are scared of losing their jobs. On the human interaction plane, managers need to get a handle on what is going on.
Salesforce will be laying off 10% of its workforce. This makes me think: DANGER AHEAD! Asking all departments to cut a percentage of their workers inadvertently leads to the removal of important roles. A Requisite Analysis will identify crucial roles, protecting the company from glaring holes in its infrastructure.
As I elevate my interpretation of this situation to a 30,000-foot view I recognize this as part of a trend that has been developing for decades. During WWII, women replaced many of their male coworkers who had left to fight in the war. Thanks to these women picking up the slack, companies ran smoothly during the war.
Once the war was over, thousands of veterans returned to the workforce. Ready to give their all, and perhaps worried about job security, the veterans re-entered the workplace with a renewed dedication to workplace success. This change, coupled with the ever-existing tension between workers and management, resulted in longer work hours and devalued the importance of vacation time. Vacations allow for creativity and innovation to emerge. And yet, I ask you: How many people do you know-perhaps yourself- who’ve never taken a two or three-week vacation?
Paradigm shifts in the workplace are not new, but they can take employers by surprise. How have you attempted to achieve workplace equilibrium? I look forward to hearing from you.