The roles and responsibilities of political and business leaders have dramatically changed in the past few weeks.
Before the pandemic, the focus was on fostering innovation, driving revenue and gaining market share.
Today, we must take quick decisions on how best to control costs, maintain cash flow and continue to secure business performance, whilst at the same time managing an unprecedented level of staff anxiety.
CPMS Group are experts in delivering complex rail projects in the UK, they offer professional services in a wide range of areas such as engineering, design, construction and commercial.
Mat Baine is the Managing Director of CPMS Group and has written a piece for railbusinessdaily.com, stressing the importance of purposely engaging and communicating compassionately with employees in these challenging times.
“The current pandemic has not only sparked a business and financial crisis, it has triggered a human crisis. Our role, as leaders in these unprecedented times, is to look after the wellbeing of our employees, as well as that of our business.
Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are the lifeblood of Britain’s economy and play a crucial role in the health of UK plc. They drive growth, provide employment opportunities and open new markets.
SMEs are seriously impacted by the COVID 19 pandemic and there is no telling how many of us will be able to weather the current crisis.
In 2018, SMEs accounted for 99.9% of all UK business population (5.9 million businesses), 60% of the workforce (16.6 million employees) and around 52% of all turnover generated by the UK private sector (£2.2 trillion).
That same year, Network Rail contracted directly with over 4,000 suppliers, of which 71% were SMEs, on which it allocated 30% of its annual expenditure.
It was therefore reassuring when in recent articles, Andrew Haines and Rob Wilkinson reiterated their commitment to work together with SMEs, in line with the principles set out in Network Rail’s Action Plan and continue to grow the relationships.
But whilst many businesses are in survival mode, the pandemic has also unveiled an unprecedented level of human issues. Our employees are anxious, nervous, scared, concerned. As COVID 19 unfolds, leading authentically and from the heart is equally important as strategy or financial statements.
There are many reasons as to why our employees should come first when managing the current challenges.
Firstly, our workforce is crucial to our business. It is part of our company’s DNA. We need to care about our employees as people first and workers second.
Secondly, the men and women comprising the current workforce of UK rail are the ones who will play a pivotal role in securing its future. They are the ones who will help rebuild the UK economy in the aftermath of the current health and financial crisis.
Thirdly, it has taken several years for our industry to attract and foster the talent we currently have. Now is time to ensure that these skills are supported and retained and that any gap remaining is not widened. This is crucial for our industry’s future.
As leaders in these challenging times, there are a few steps we can take to provide a welcome sense of direction and be a reassuring voice to our employees.
We can speak openly and honestly about the gravity of the situation and acknowledge that it ‘is indeed very frightening’ and a cause for anxiety.
We can give a clear perspective on what is happening, speak up about issues, set priorities, explain the tough calls we must make and share an optimistic, authentic vision that is both reassuring and realistic.
We can encourage others to lead and empower the front line to make decisions, clarifying what needs to be escalated, by when and to whom. In times of ever-changing priorities, we have limited time to react and fostering our future leaders is key to our company’s future.
We can hold weekly companywide executive briefings to foster a sense of togetherness and engage and motivate employees whilst communicating important new goals and information.
We can ensure that every member of the leadership team reaches out for a weekly ‘pulse check’ with their own teams, discussing business issues but also amplifying positive messages such as successes, acts of kindness and obstacles that have been overcome.
We can also encourage employees to support each other personally, through regular ‘check-ins’ as friends, and professionally, through conducting companywide training, organising staff competitions and quizzes, thus supporting our efforts to maintain and boost staff morale.
Pandemics are unlike any other challenge we face as leaders. There are no words to fully describe the feeling of dread when you find out one of your employees or a member of their families has been taken ill. There are also no words to describe the feeling of pride when you hear the laughter of employees dialling into the weekly company briefing using comedy names, or the giggles of their children joining them in the company quiz.
As a leader, we want to always have the right answers and know what to do, but these last few weeks have plunged many of us into a situation that most have never faced before and one that lacks clarity. Our employees are our greatest assets, our force and our future. Now is the time to truly live the ‘Railway Family’ values.
Mat Baine Managing Director of CPMS Group. www.cpmsgroup.com
Photo credit: CPMS Group
