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Submitted by bradclinard on
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The company I work for was sold to a private firm last year. The new owners have many different companies and all are successful.  The pay and benefits are good, and they are willing to invest in technology. Overall, it is a good place to work. There are two issues that I face and that I believe cause talent to leave because I too am reaching a point of frustration and would like some opinions :

 

1)      Headcount is a PRIMARY focus for the owners in an almost ‘relentless’ fashion, so much so, that everyone is looking for ways to cut their department even though absolutely ZERO guidance has been given regarding what headcount should be. I have both administrative/salaried and operational/hourly headcount. The operational heads are absolutely required until automation is put in place but each time I lose someone (attendance or performance), I am unable to rehire.

a.       Do I stop holding people accountable simply to retain them?

b.      Do you have any ‘standard headcount’ guidance, models, or resources that I can consult?

c.       What recommendations or examples that will illustrate when you know you have cut too many heads?

2)      The IT department does not recognize “operations” as internal customers and thus provides the minimum requirements leaving much undone requiring ‘work arounds’

a.       Where in the DISC profile to most IT folks fall?

b.      How do you motivate an IT person or peak their interest enough to get them moving your way?

c.       What suggestions do you have that might illustrate the idea of internal customers?

Thanks,

Brad

tlhausmann's picture
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Hello Brad. Welcome to the forums.

You ask several questions each of which require nuanced answers. Others may chime in with their perspective.

1.b. Re: Standard Headcount

Chances are your industry has benchmark costs in IT, sales, marketing, et cetera which you can look up in industry journals. Knowing your industry's benchmarks helps you know your costs relative to others. It does not offer complete guidance. So a standard headcount depends on your industry.

2.bc. Re: Relationships and Internal Customers

Build relationships with IT and IT leadership before you have "To Do" items on your list. There is a two way street here: IT has a responsibility to understand the business and business units unknowingly compete for internal IT resources. Solid communication and established relationships influence decision making. I emphasize communication because if the CEO is sponsoring a project requiring the full attention of the IT staff your project is much harder to get into the queue--regardless of how important *you* think the project is. Further, build relationships with departments OUTSIDE of IT so that when priorities are discussed--everyone has a better understanding of the full enterprise.

2.a. Do not lump or assume IT folks fit into particular DISC categories. Treat everyone individually.

Although,  High D and C workers are common in information technology--don't assume.

jhack's picture

You need also to look to the private equity firm's strategy for your company.  Are they looking to improve the P&L and balance sheet, so as to flip it?  Are they looking to grow it?  Do they want to disassemble it and use the parts to construct a new firm?  

Each strategy by a PE firm will imply certain realities for the folks on the ground.  If you can find out  where you fit into their portfolio, you'll have a better sense of what's driving the headcount reduction / cost management, and what that means for you and how you be effective in your actions.  You said they're willing to invest; the question is where.   

Finally, the last year has been tough everywhere, so maybe this is just their way of  "racing, not chasing" during a major downturn.  Lots of folks are under a freeze without replacement.  

John Hack

bentzleyj's picture

Brad,

It's a tricky path since it sounds like you are in a race between your natural accession rate and the responsiveness of IT in automating the processes necessary to take your headcount down.

It may help to position your potential savings in headcount with your boss as a means to justify better results however it sounds like you may actually take this information to the head of IT if your accession rate is cutting you that close.  I would use the Peer Feedback Model with the IT group, and possibly the head of IT, in order to make your case for the extra IT assistance and would also use it with your boss to justify a temporary back-fill should you lose any more key people prior to having the automation complete.

If you haven't listened to the Peer Feedback Model podcast, I highly recommend it because it will be very useful as you try to leverage some political savvy across the organization.

Jim Bentzley