Over 60% of senior managers in the UK have had to make staff redundant in the past 2 years, despite having no training or experience in this area, according to the latest market research commissioned by Alexander Hughes Interim Management (AHIM).
As a result many have been left feeling sad and depressed and enjoy their jobs less particularly as they believe that their employeesí attitudes have changed towards them, making them less able to do their jobs effectively. Not surprisingly this has had a detrimental effect on their home and family life.
The research was undertaken by Continental Research and involved 200 interviews with managing directors, financial directors and other senior managers of businesses (PLCs and Private Companies) with an annual turnover in excess of 1million. Weighting was applied by turnover, region and industry type to make the sample representative of the 147,000 companies with a turnover in excess of 1million as estimated by the DTI.
Over a third of those questioned (36%) felt stressed and worried as a result of the redundancy/change management programmes they have had to undertake, with over 44% having received no prior training. 37% enjoy their job less as a result with 12% believing that this has affected their ability to do their job properly. 38% felt that their health and family life had suffered.
The results of the research were even higher amongst those senior managers questioned who had not yet undertaken any redundancy programmes but expected to have to do so in the near future. 71% believed that they would be stressed and upset if they had to make people redundant with over a third believing that it would be harder to do their jobs afterwards.
Gavan Burden, Managing Director at AHIM explains: ìThere seems to be increasing support for the belief that the economy is still in decline, so companies will now be turning their thoughts to cost savings and rationalisation programmes. However some seem to be failing to appreciate the affect that this can have on their senior managers. At AHIM we are seeing an increase in the use of interim managers for this kind of work as candidates are experienced, do not have any personal history with any of the employees and can leave when the programme is successfully completed.î
Richard Owen, an interim manager with extensive experience in change management, comments: ìThe results of this research donít surprise me at all. I donít think anyone who finds making people redundant easy is doing it properly. As an interim you have a little more emotional distance than someone who has been managing an area for some time.
îAlso, there is satisfaction to be gained from knowing you have done an uncomfortable task well but, again, itís hard for an employee to focus on that.
Staff affected sometimes feel betrayed by their manager which makes the exercise difficult, whereas an interim has an opportunity to build trust by the way he/she handles the job, without any baggage. Overall, a good interim will engage with the people but will have the clarity, focus and energy to get the job done in line with the commercial imperatives. ì
lizzie@westonpartnership.co.uk
Senior managers suffer ill-effects from redundancy programmes
Over 60% of senior managers in the UK have had to make staff redundant in the past 2 years
