We all change

A few things have been on my mind recently – all positive stuff generally, which is good, but a few issues that are neither positive or negative.

One thing that I find quite interesting in my current situation (50% reduction in team) is that there is a huge assumption that as staff we are in a default position in wanting to keep our jobs. Now I don’t disagree with that as such, however the process by which most people need to go through is likely to involve, application form, interview and higher grade includes presentation as well.

Ok fair enough it is a competitive environment, but where in that process is the bit that you normally get in interviews – the bit that allows you as the candidate – to ask questions of the organisation, whether or not you actually want to continue working for the organisation.

In normal circumstances you would have a reasonably clear picture about the organisation you were applying for, you would have a pretty good idea as to the focus of the business area you were hoping to work in and you may get some knowledge of the management as well as the strategy and vision.

Now most of this aspect is missing in the current climate, due to the scale and pace of the cuts, your manager and your managers, manager are also subject to change and reduction/consolidation and that has a big influence on the vision and direction of a service as well as whether someone may wish to continue their current employment or not.

So it is likely in most cases that someone would be applying for a job not knowing who will be a direct line manager,section head and in some cases the strategy and direction, as well as the wider team members.

I appreciate lots of scenarios exist like this and many people thrive in them, I am personally not worried by my situation for various reasons, but I am worried about the effectiveness of the service I currently work in and whether or not the change is actually a good one – I’m undecided on this at present.

We all change, as individuals and as organisations and we are in a climate where the organisations around us are changing very fast – sometimes it would be good to be given time and space to just question the organisation on some of these issues and decide whether it is an organisation you’d like to work for.

Sometimes it just feels like it is all one way…

Filed under: Personal