According to our readers, they’re getting close to being anorexic!
In October, 2004 issue of CareerThink, we asked, “ Is your organization getting too lean? Or is your company simply making the necessary changes to stay viable in a tough economy? What’s the stress toll of the “lean and mean” corporation?” 71% of our readers responded with an emphatic “YES! MY COMPANY HAS GONE TOO FAR!”
In fact, after reading some of your replies and the almost unimaginable workloads you have to endure day after day, the editorial staff of CareerThink decided that our jobs are pretty darn cool and we went in and hugged our bosses to show them that we appreciate them not breaking out the whips when they need us to work a little overtime.
We definitely couldn’t shake the mental image of one of those Viking ships where all the guys are chained to a bench, straining to move those heavy oars, while a nasty-looking, ill-tempered brute stands at the front beating a rhythm on his giant drums. It’s clear that most of you aren’t too thrilled with the prospect of doing two or three (or more) jobs that others were doing just a short time ago.
“I definitely agree that my employer has gotten too 'mean and lean.' My choices have become limited to 'what's NOT going to get done today’,” wrote one of our readers who asked to remain anonymous. “After I couldn't take the stress levels anymore (sleeplessness, chest pains, headaches, anxiety, carpal tunnel symptoms, increasing number of errors, etc), I had a talk with my boss again and said that I had too much to do and that I needed help. His response was that I could be replaced.”
Ouch! Nothing like some real support from the management level, eh? Apparently his “open door policy” has an Exit sign over it!
“Lean” And “Mean” Often Leads To “Over” And “Worked”!
Let’s face it … management oftentimes appears not to care about levels, whether they’re related to work, stress or blood pressure! And sometimes it’s not that they don’t care, it’s that they’re trying to deal with it too but aren’t sure what to do about it. However, everyone can agree that if left unchecked, a lean and mean workplace is like a Petri dish for negativity.
Reversing workplace negativity can be one of the hardest obstacles any business professional can face.
Whether you’re a manager of a department that’s teetering on the edge of a morale Armageddon, or just one of the jillions of cubicle dwellers looking for a ray of sunshine in a dreary work life, there are proven steps you can take to shake yourself out of the doldrums that don’t involve sitting around a campfire singing “Kumbayah”.
Despite being overworked, there are things you can do to stem the tide of stress-related negativity. If you have too much to do and too little time to do it in, then take a look at these steps designed to help lighten your load ...
1. Just say no.
The word “no” is a powerful time-saver! Saying “yes”
all the time doesn’t guarantee career advancement or popularity. It
may, in fact, get you labeled as a doormat. Practice saying “no”
in a friendly but matter-of-fact fashion, without overexplaining. Remember,
you can always say “no” to assuming total responsibility while
still offering to help in a smaller, specific way.
2. Learn to delegate.
When you delegate, you instantly increase time you have available —
and you help others learn new skills. First, determine who is most capable
of the task. Then thoroughly explain the job, your expectations, deadlines
and how you’ll monitor progress. Put these points in writing for the
person. Then ask him or her to summarize the assignment, so you’ll know
you’ve clearly communicated what's been delegated.
3. Schedule major projects.
If you have a number of major projects gathering dust because you’re
going to do them when you “find time,” stop waiting and start
scheduling. Most busy professionals never find spare time, so if you really want to get a project done, set a start date and a deadline. Then map out the steps you’ll need to do to complete the project and stick to your timetable.
4. Do first the thing you like least.
This is an excellent timesaving habit to get into. Most of us waste far too much time and energy thinking about dreaded tasks rather than actually doing them. Get the most disliked jobs out of the way first, and you’ll get a great sense of accomplishment. Plus, you’ll be able to enjoy the rest of the day, knowing your worst task is out of the way.
5. Avoid procrastination.
Procrastination is Enemy No. 1 if you’re serious about getting things done. When you delay doing what needs to be done, you end up working “under the gun,” which means the project won’t get your best effort. Procrastination is a bad habit that can sabotage your career success and damage your personal relationships. If you frequently procrastinate, take a hard look at why you’re choosing this negative behavior.
6. Maintain a master calendar.
Keep track of plans for the entire family on a master calendar, and be sure to include any overtime or business travel you’re scheduled for. Make sure the kids alert you whenever they add something to it. The minute you arrive at work, transfer into your planner the dates and times of personal commitments such as school conferences, a child’s doctor appointment or transportation needs that will occur during your work day or right after work.
7. Use lists.
Most people who manage their time effectively rely on lists as organizational
tools, research shows. List every step of a project, and you won’t have
to redo it because you forgot a crucial step. Make a grocery list, and you won’t have run to the store a second time for forgotten items. Use daily, weekly and monthly lists, rather than making a huge list you’ll
never finish.
8. Recognize distractions and eliminate
them.
Distractions come in a zillion forms — from chatty coworkers to a TV
at home that’s never turned off. But all distractions keep you from
the task at hand. Understand the real issue: You’re allowing yourself
to avoid a task by giving in to distractions. Identify major distractions
and eliminate those you can. Then the next time you’re tempted by a
distraction, STOP and focus on your priorities.
9. Don’t overcommit yourself.
Getting overcommitted is a huge time trap. If this is a frequent problem,
either you haven’t learned to say “No,” or you aren’t accurately estimating how long it will take you to complete certain tasks. Overscheduling yourself and your family adds unwanted stress to your life, so always check your master calendar before you agree to do ANYTHING more.
10. Avoid perfectionism.
Perfectionism saps your energy and wastes your time. If you hear yourself
saying, “Well, I can’t start this project now because I don’t have
time to do it right,” or find yourself redoing something because
“it’s not perfect,” then recognize you’re allowing your perfectionism to steal your time. Many tasks we do are noncritical, so let “good enough” be good enough and move on.
When you’re overwhelmed, stressed out and
frustrated because you’ve ALWAYS got too much to do, stop and figure
out why. Then devise a plan to change the situation, and take charge
of your time — and your life! Once you’ve started, you’ll be amazed at the newfound excitement and energy you’ll have. Plus, you’ll feel like you’re in control of your destiny and your old ambition will return with a vengeance. Remember, even if you’re in the most dead-end job now, you don’t have to be there six months from now. You hold all the cards to your own happiness!
What some of our readers had to say ...
"While our company is definitely getting more LEAN, sometimes actually
injuring the BONES, I feel it is a necessary AND beneficial process!
With our global economy, even companies that seem LOCAL, are finding
themselves affected. Many companies, and particularly individuals, do not
even realize they are in a RACE, until it is over, and they find themselves
on the 'USED TO BE' list! While foresight is rarely 20/20, many companies
and or people don't even seem to open their eyes and look around until
after the truck has hit them.
On the positive side, such downsizing almost always brings opportunity,
challenge, and reward for those who ARE looking, even if they are the ones
who, on the surface, appear to be out of a job or the BALL GAME. Often a
fresh start, either inside or outside an employment relationship, will
bring rewards that just can't be seen through the vale of the 'WOE IS ME'
syndrome.
Being KNOCKED DOWN certainly is not a pleasant experience, but is probably
one of the more beneficial corporate or professional growth stimulants we
will ever experience!"
"Overall, I would say our company is making necessary changes to stay alive in a tough economy. As a school district, we have experienced cuts for at least 5 years in a row with bigger cuts the last 3 years in a row. Several teachers have retired, and others are "stretched" to fill the void by increasing class sizes. In the technology department, our budget has been cut by 40% the last 5 years. At one point, the tech dept had $200,000 per year and now, we have $60,000 per year to buy parts and purchase new computers for a fleet of 500. Our oldest computers still used in the elementary lab are 12 years old. The stress toll of 'lean and mean' in the technology department is the increase in demand for up to date technology while having just enough money to only maintain the aging technology we have."
"The company I work for is crumbling from the bottom. They literally cut off their toes. In order to downsize, they laid off almost all support staff (secretaries) or have not replaced them as they leave to have babies, etc. They have completely overloaded the three secretaries that are left in an office of 65 people. Now, you have people typing correspondence who are clueless. They have horrible grammar and spelling skills which makes the company look like a third rate operation. We still have all the upper level management."
"I definitely agree that my employer has gotten too 'mean and lean.' My choices have become limited to 'what's NOT going to get done today.' Every department in our company has doubled or even quadrupled except mine. I'm still the only one doing what I do. After I couldn't take the stress levels anymore (sleeplessness, chest pains, headaches, anxiety, carpal tunnel symptoms, increasing number of errors, etc), I had a talk with my boss again and said that I had too much to do and that I needed help. His response was that I could be replaced.
I was extremely insulted and very nearly walked out the door that day. I am well known by every level of management and ownership as a hard worker and someone who will get the job done. I even went so far one time as to cover for a co-worker on maternity leave during the day and did my own job at night so that we would be covered. My take on my bosses comment was that I had to continue with my current duties or be fired. After a long conversation with the HR dept, my boss backed off a bit, although, my duties remained as they were.
Fast-forward three months to now, and I'm right back in the same boat (if I ever got out). Two weeks ago, my boss asked me to take on yet another duty after I told him that I that I was already behind on current duties. When I reiterated to him that I already said that I couldn't unless something else was taken off my plate, he reported me to the HR dept as refusing to do my job. Again, after numerous meetings with the HR director where I had to defend my position and list my various duties, HR agreed that I had too much to do and my boss was told/agreed to reassign some duties to other employees.
In these two weeks, my boss has barely talked to me nor have any duties been passed off. The company has also now changed their policy to forced overtime. Plus, now, you either have to work through lunch or you have to stay even later to make up for leaving. (If you put your phone on voice mail for 10 minutes to eat, it's considered leaving even if you stayed at your desk) I can't win. I can't even compromise. I'm in my early thirties and I'm scared that I'm going to end up with a heart attack because of my stress levels. I'm actually considering having carpal tunnel surgery just so that I can actually have some time off. How sad is that??
Many other employees have been voicing similar complaints to me recently as well. We are all tired of the company taking more and more of what should be family time and requiring us to work overtime. When do we get a chance to unwind and enjoy life?"
"This is a relative term when it comes to our type of business. We are a VAR and we are in constant change as are the products and the needs of the end user. We have reduced our staff by 1/3 within the past 8 months. We are a small company so this is a significant change.
The people that are gone were really not producing to the level needed to add to the bottom line of our company. Sometimes a "cleaning of the house" is necessary. That doesn't mean it isn't painful to witness. It places everyone into a state of panic, " will I be next", "what's happening with our company" and many others you can imagine. There is a fine line between the damage to the morale of the staff between allowing "slackers" to remain on the payroll, while a few do all the work and seeing them walk out the door and know the few remaining will now be required to do all the work.
We are slowly replacing the staff members lost during this period, and sales are growing again as we have changed our path to a certain extent."
"I know that a lot of companies are downsizing, but the company I work for has had 3 layoffs in less than 3 years. The latest one shut down one of our centers and laid off over 100 people. They have reorganized and reorganized, with really no improvement. Our IT department is so far behind on projects because they just don't have the personnel. I believe that my company has cut back too much. If things keep going as they have been, we will have another layoff in the spring. How much more can they cut? The workload has increased and they are looking at adding new divisions without adding personnel, so who will get the extra work? The answer is simple because the work will land on those "lucky" enough not to be laid off, who are already overloaded."
"I have noticed several instances where employees are doing the work of two. Lean has provided Corporations the opportunity to stretch workers for the same pay. I am not sure I agree with the lean methodology. I think it leaves room for mistakes, shortcuts, low moral, and a poor attitude. Can those situations really save money? Lean started as a throughput, no waste idea, which turned into a monster."
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