Local Management, a Remedy for Workplace Distress
4 October 2010
Read by 1958 persons
Experts, unions, MEDEF members, and bosses all agreed during a debate organized by Syntec Conseil en Management: employee well-being directly impacts economic performance. Local managers are best placed to improve the quality of life in the office.
"I was put on a project without enough help. Yes, that's when I felt bad at work," testifies a man in his forties. The worst thing, for another employee in her fifties, is "not knowing why we work." The atmosphere also plays a role. "If your colleagues barely say hello and goodbye," it affects morale, others add. There are many anecdotes about workplace distress. Every bookstore has a whole section on the subject, and in newspapers, it's not like the issue has been ignored in recent years. Journalist Jean-Robert Viallet also received the latest Albert Londres prize for his reports on "The Death of Work." What's newer is that managers are gradually measuring the impact of their teams' morale on the economic performance of companies. "An unhappy employee does not create value," summarizes Stéphane Richard, the new CEO of France Telecom, in the prelude to the debate organized by Syntec conseil en management. Around a table, employee union representatives and executives gave managers tools to fight the main enemies of employee well-being: isolation and lack of purpose.
Local Management
"We need to recreate local managers," insisted Christian Larose, vice-president of the Economic, Social, and Environmental Council and CGT representative. But "with real decision-making power and more autonomy," insists Jean-Luc Placet, administrator of Syntec conseil en management and member of the MEDEF executive board. Because, today, they only have a role of transmission belt between central authority and employees." Bringing authority closer to the employee is the proposed solution. The method of individual performance has, it seems, had its day. It is labeled counterproductive. Because this approach, coupled with "the development of new technologies, which both connect and isolate the employee, and the distance from managers, have created a feeling of loneliness in the employee that harms their well-being," analyzes Henri Lachmann, co-author of a report on well-being and efficiency at work submitted last February to the Prime Minister. He is also chairman of the supervisory board of Schneider Electric.
Listening, Dialogue, and Pedagogy
A closer authority, but also more dialogue. And when Christian Larose advocates social dialogue, he means it in a broad sense: not only between management and unions but with everyone who works, all departments. Henri Lachmann adds "good dialogue is 80% listening." Not to mention "pedagogy," according to Jean-Luc Placet. It is necessary to take the time to explain the reason for the task. An employee only does well what they understand.
Finally, the future will involve better training for managers. Jean-Luc Placet regrets it, but in France, "managers are not well sensitized to managing people, either at university or in companies."
But, after all, "well-being in times of crisis, why bother and save money?", suggests Alex Taylor, journalist and debate mediator. "Absolutely not," the three speakers reply in unison, "now is the time."
Posted on October 4, 2010
emploi-pro.fr
"I was put on a project without enough help. Yes, that's when I felt bad at work," testifies a man in his forties. The worst thing, for another employee in her fifties, is "not knowing why we work." The atmosphere also plays a role. "If your colleagues barely say hello and goodbye," it affects morale, others add. There are many anecdotes about workplace distress. Every bookstore has a whole section on the subject, and in newspapers, it's not like the issue has been ignored in recent years. Journalist Jean-Robert Viallet also received the latest Albert Londres prize for his reports on "The Death of Work." What's newer is that managers are gradually measuring the impact of their teams' morale on the economic performance of companies. "An unhappy employee does not create value," summarizes Stéphane Richard, the new CEO of France Telecom, in the prelude to the debate organized by Syntec conseil en management. Around a table, employee union representatives and executives gave managers tools to fight the main enemies of employee well-being: isolation and lack of purpose.
Local Management
"We need to recreate local managers," insisted Christian Larose, vice-president of the Economic, Social, and Environmental Council and CGT representative. But "with real decision-making power and more autonomy," insists Jean-Luc Placet, administrator of Syntec conseil en management and member of the MEDEF executive board. Because, today, they only have a role of transmission belt between central authority and employees." Bringing authority closer to the employee is the proposed solution. The method of individual performance has, it seems, had its day. It is labeled counterproductive. Because this approach, coupled with "the development of new technologies, which both connect and isolate the employee, and the distance from managers, have created a feeling of loneliness in the employee that harms their well-being," analyzes Henri Lachmann, co-author of a report on well-being and efficiency at work submitted last February to the Prime Minister. He is also chairman of the supervisory board of Schneider Electric.
Listening, Dialogue, and Pedagogy
A closer authority, but also more dialogue. And when Christian Larose advocates social dialogue, he means it in a broad sense: not only between management and unions but with everyone who works, all departments. Henri Lachmann adds "good dialogue is 80% listening." Not to mention "pedagogy," according to Jean-Luc Placet. It is necessary to take the time to explain the reason for the task. An employee only does well what they understand.
Finally, the future will involve better training for managers. Jean-Luc Placet regrets it, but in France, "managers are not well sensitized to managing people, either at university or in companies."
But, after all, "well-being in times of crisis, why bother and save money?", suggests Alex Taylor, journalist and debate mediator. "Absolutely not," the three speakers reply in unison, "now is the time."
Posted on October 4, 2010
emploi-pro.fr
