The Context

The coalition government has announced the greatest cuts to public service spending since the 1970s. This is in the context of other cuts earlier this year/end of last.

PWC estimate that this will lead to £500,000 public sector jobs going with as many more going in the private sector as a result of public sector contracts ending and the impact on the economy of losing the demand from half a million public sector salaries. http://bit.ly/cML0o9

The coalition government is keen for voluntary, private and civil sector organisations to deliver to services previously delivered by the public sector. This means that while some services will cease, others will be delivered by different organisations. This is in the context of a increase of private and third sector organisations running public services over the last 20 years.

The Problem

Redundancy is a major life stress – as is the fear of it. http://bit.ly/9bNB3a

Talented staff will be leaving.

Those remaining will have a number of issues directly relating to the cut in resource

-          the process of consultation and selection of those to be made redundant will cause tremendous anxiety (see my blog)

-          those remaining may suffer “survivor guilt” aka “survivor syndrome”

-          those remaining will also have to do the work of those who have left

Those remaining will face other issues arising from redundancy and other changes

-          New roles, teams, organisational structures and relationships

-          New ways of working – desk sharing, roaming working

-          New relationships with partner agencies who may have a very different way of operation and organisation culture

For everyone there will be considerable change in work expectations and career mapping

-          greater uncertainty about the future – do I have a job, who for and doing what?

-          Stands to reason that people will need to develop new skills, attitudes and approaches to all the challenges listed above

All of this is likely to have a negative impact on individual and organisational performance

The Solution

Coaching to build capacity to manage change in one’s own work life whilst supporting other.

Aim to develop managers

-          Resilience in dealing with day to day pain and anger of staff

-          Ability to have difficult conversations with staff when they do not know the answer or have little to offer in terms of consolation

-          Listen and acknowledge difficulty

-          Gently move the conversation towards the future

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