ajcjobs > BlogBreak > Archives > 2006 > August > 28 > Entry
Enthusiasm has left the building
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Last week I talked to a friend about his company’s merger with another. There was an announcement of a great marriage between two former competitors, joining forces for the sake of strength.
Merging technologies, customer bases, and consolidated operations is one thing, but how well do companies plan for the merging workforce (that’s business speak for people). Is it ever a perfect match or can it be a culture clash of gigantic proportions?
After six months of ‘integration’, my friend described more power struggles and secret plots going on right now than you would have in any Shakespearean play.
The cast of characters is to be expected. The rumormongers who take particular pleasure in spreading panic with speculation that one department is going dominate because the other will become extinct.
The new boss who says we are moving on to new and better ways. Get on the train or get off. The resisters who say the new ways will never work, just wait and see.
Apparently, you don’t know exactly the moment or how, enthusiasm has taken a quick exit and paranoia has swept the building causing a contagious disease of epidemic proportions.
What is a person to do when enthusiasm has left the building and negativity has taken a strangle-hold?
Is it one rotten apple in the bunch that is poisoning the people, and how easy is it to identify the culprit or culprits?
Do you ever just get tired of listening to other people complain about their jobs, and wish they would either shut up altogether or move on with another job?
It used to be a great place to work. Help my friend with suggestions on how to beef up morale.
Comments
By Feeling is Mutual
August 29, 2006 11:52 AM | Link to this
…Continue to be an advocate of peace and prosperity…this always reins supreme. Of course with supremacy comes chastisement. Remember you are there for a reason. It may be to help the next person or finally realize this is where not to be and move on. Ultimately the choice remains yours, not an unhealthy side effect of your surroundings.. best of luck in all endeavors.
By Yep That Happened to Me
September 8, 2006 01:35 PM | Link to this
That happened in my last workplace. A new boss came on board and was less than diplomatic about the need to “clean house” and shape us all up. Of course, that did not make those of us who had been there for years, doing the best we could with what we had, feel very good. There was no outreach to the oldtimers. This approach created tons of resentment. There was a lot of criticism on a daily basis, little praise, and negativity fed on negativity.
It was a very hard, long year. Productivity stagnated, morale dropped into the basement. The idea of giving just a little extra effort became unthinkable. And guess what? One by one the veterans who kept the place running found other places to work. Of course, others took their place, but they had to be trained and that hurt productivity too.