Masonry Magazine November 2001 Page. 24
Keeping Your Employees Motivated in Turbulent Times
As a business owner or manager you are currently dealing with two crucial issues for the success of your business. First, you are dealing with the current economic slowdown and the possible magnification of that slowdown resulting from the September 11, 2001 attack on America. Second, you are dealing with the fears and anxieties of your employees-both about the well-being of America and the security of their own jobs.
To put their feelings in perspective, perhaps you might think back on a difficult financial time of your business, a time when even meeting payroll was in question. Somehow you survived. Your business today is living proof of your survival instincts. Think back on the enormously high level of anxiety you experienced. Resulting from September 11, many of your employees are experiencing those same kinds of anxiety levels in both the areas of national security as well as job security. Everybody has some feelings of helplessness. We all want to do something to help our country, and in a way that will create value for others - not just doing for the sake of doing.
Many people, and not just in urban environments, are also truly questioning their safety and security. A recent Wall Street Journal article on workers' needs in cataclysmic times quotes David Stum of Aon Corp's Loyalty Institute as saying that, "Bosses who ignore or rebuff basic needs will see employee commitment and output fall."
Not all people deal with stress, sorrow and anxiety in the same way. Some are more resilient than others. To help you understand levels of resilience in people, I recommend you read Linda Nash's fabulous book titled, The Bounce Back Quotient.
Linda suggests that you help your employees, as well as yourself, to take control of what you can in this turbulent time. She believes that to the extent you take control, you will reduce your stress and powerless feelings. Linda says that you can't control what happened you can't fix it - you can't turn back the clock. "Your world has changed without asking your permission," states Nash. She continues, "Begin to take action-small is OK. Send a card, listen to someone who is grieving, take him/her food, hold a hand, give blood, attend a religious service, bake some cookies, volunteer, or assist in any way you can. Process your emotions but don't allow them to take total control. Do something!"
Linda warns employers not to ex- (more on page 26)