The True Cost of Government Inaction

Trying to regain lost organizational morale?

Using new math to figure out how to do more with less…again?

We are now well into a year since we first started to talk Sequestration and the mandatory budget cuts and spending ceilings are no longer new. But knowing that something will happen and dealing with the effects of that, are two different things.

In articles published last year from The Washington Post to The Huffington Post, in the Government’s own reports, both from the right and from the left, the cuts were projected to have numerous consequences. Jobs were lost. Benefits were slashed. Military has weakened.

What was not reported was the true human cost of dealing with the “super-committee’s” sequestration.

Loss of confidence.

Eroding morale.

Workplace inefficiencies and confusion.

I recently spoke with a number of clients about the impact that sequestration was having on their organization and it’s clear to me, that while we may be saving money because of the cuts, we have spent multiples of the savings in terms of the delayed reaction, real and psychological, to our most important piece of capital investment: our people.

You’ve heard me pound the table in the last few months talking about employee engagement. Our most important, most valuable investment in business is our people. Without whom, it would be difficult, really difficult, to have a successful organization. We have the people, but they may be less effective today, less engaged than we’d like.

The toll of governmental inaction is strikingly high. Insidious in its reach and implication.

We cannot follow with our own inaction. In fact, the reverse is true. Now is the time to step up and counter the failing morale, confidence and increased frustration prevalent in many organizations.

Has your organization been impacted? What are you doing to counter that impact? I’d love to hear your thoughts and know what you’ve found that’s worked and what hasn’t.

Join in the discussion. Share this blog. Let’s take action in the face of inaction. Our people are counting on it.

If you need a place to get started, check out our website. From now through May 31, 2014, we are offering solutions to jump start action.

Boxer Advisors, LLC, is a full-service consulting, training and coaching firm with more than 50 professional consultants, facilitators, and coaches and carefully selected partners providing services to Federal agencies and Fortune 1000 companies since 1996.

Contact us today to learn more.

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