How to Manage Effectively with Zero Budget?
13 June 2014
Read by 4268 persons
Reduced staff, salary freezes, reduced budget: 2013 promises to be tense, and Moroccan businesses are no exception. So how do you maintain team motivation and optimize performance when your budget is close to zero?
Here are some tips to help you navigate this turbulent period without too many problems.
Show your confidence in the future
You must absolutely give a clear vision of the future to your employees who are worried about their jobs or their pay.
Don't promise anything you can't deliver, and instead, be honest, focus on trust and transparency.
Empower your employees
In times of crisis, leaders sometimes tend to withdraw and focus on what they know, while they should instead open up to others and delegate.
You must empower, even at lower levels, and let your employees bring you solutions and growth on a silver platter.
Develop versatility
In the face of staff reductions, the company must plan for contingency solutions by working upstream on job versatility and focusing on multi-tasking employees.
This is the time to move some people to a sector or profession where they would feel more comfortable and, above all, where you can get the most out of them.
Exploit the "hidden gems"
When external recruitment is frozen, it's a good time to review the troops and discover the hidden side of your employees, often with good surprises.
Employees sometimes have skills that are not expressed or used in the function they occupy, and by discovering them, you will gain motivation and efficiency, at zero cost.
Optimize the training plan
Every training dirham must be used wisely. The goal is not to offer enjoyable training, but to develop the employability of your employees and "strengthen" your teams.
You can streamline training actions by promoting internal training and the sharing of best practices.
Work in project mode
This is the time to think "collective". Project-based work is a mobilizing and unifying lever that has the merit of putting teams under pressure and motivating actors.
With resources, an objective, and milestones, project mode provides something structuring and reassuring for its participants.
Optimize time
Reduced resources means optimized working time, and managers have no time to waste to be effective.
To do this, you must adopt a simplified reporting system or favor shorter but more frequent meetings, through telephone conferences or videoconferences, for example.
Get closer to employees
The more you are on the ground and close to your teams, the more effective you will be.
You will thus shorten decision chains and be more attentive to employees to detect innovative ideas and improvements.
Promote a pleasant work environment
When you are unable to increase the pay of your best employees due to budget constraints, offer them different forms of work organization to maintain their motivation.
Sometimes you have to offer "an extra bit of soul to the work" because when employees can't earn more, they can at least work better and in better conditions.
Philippe Montant
CEO of ReKrute
Here are some tips to help you navigate this turbulent period without too many problems.
Show your confidence in the future
You must absolutely give a clear vision of the future to your employees who are worried about their jobs or their pay.
Don't promise anything you can't deliver, and instead, be honest, focus on trust and transparency.
Empower your employees
In times of crisis, leaders sometimes tend to withdraw and focus on what they know, while they should instead open up to others and delegate.
You must empower, even at lower levels, and let your employees bring you solutions and growth on a silver platter.
Develop versatility
In the face of staff reductions, the company must plan for contingency solutions by working upstream on job versatility and focusing on multi-tasking employees.
This is the time to move some people to a sector or profession where they would feel more comfortable and, above all, where you can get the most out of them.
Exploit the "hidden gems"
When external recruitment is frozen, it's a good time to review the troops and discover the hidden side of your employees, often with good surprises.
Employees sometimes have skills that are not expressed or used in the function they occupy, and by discovering them, you will gain motivation and efficiency, at zero cost.
Optimize the training plan
Every training dirham must be used wisely. The goal is not to offer enjoyable training, but to develop the employability of your employees and "strengthen" your teams.
You can streamline training actions by promoting internal training and the sharing of best practices.
Work in project mode
This is the time to think "collective". Project-based work is a mobilizing and unifying lever that has the merit of putting teams under pressure and motivating actors.
With resources, an objective, and milestones, project mode provides something structuring and reassuring for its participants.
Optimize time
Reduced resources means optimized working time, and managers have no time to waste to be effective.
To do this, you must adopt a simplified reporting system or favor shorter but more frequent meetings, through telephone conferences or videoconferences, for example.
Get closer to employees
The more you are on the ground and close to your teams, the more effective you will be.
You will thus shorten decision chains and be more attentive to employees to detect innovative ideas and improvements.
Promote a pleasant work environment
When you are unable to increase the pay of your best employees due to budget constraints, offer them different forms of work organization to maintain their motivation.
Sometimes you have to offer "an extra bit of soul to the work" because when employees can't earn more, they can at least work better and in better conditions.
Philippe Montant
CEO of ReKrute
