ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, January 19, 1997 TAG: 9701170033
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: 2 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: WORKING IT OUT
SOURCE: CAMILLE WRIGHT MILLER
Q: Our company has been re-engineering and downsizing over the past two years. I haven't taken vacation during this time because I was afraid I'd be let go while I was gone.
The vacation sign-up sheet goes up in a few weeks, and my supervisor is almost requiring I take two weeks, but I'm afraid I'll risk my job.
A: Most workers who have been downsized are excellent employees. It wasn't work or vacation habits that caused their separation from a company - it was the changing labor needs of the companies.
Before making the decision, ask yourself and your supervisor several questions. Where's the re-engineering focused now? Where will it be by your vacation? How many more employees are likely to be downsized? Is there a scheduled date when the existing work force will be considered relatively permanent?
Has vacation-avoiding behavior saved any one's job in the past? Would your work, energy level and attitude improve if you took time off?
While you may not have complete answers to all questions, you may be able to reduce your anxiety level. You'll certainly have a clearer picture of what the company is trying to accomplish.
And, your supervisor may also be able to assure you that your job is secure.
If you still believe a vacation would jeopardize your employment, it may be time to focus more on landing a stable job than on forgoing vacations. Renew your network, update your resume and begin looking for a new job while you're employed.
In the meantime, think about why your supervisor is encouraging you to take time off. It's likely he understands that taking vacations won't impact downsizing decisions. Further, he may have noticed that you need the benefits vacations afford.
Many find they increase their energy and creativity by taking time off. The company benefits if employees return with new ideas, stronger focus and increased enthusiasm. If you can't bring yourself to take two weeks, consider taking a few long weekends. Use the time to re-energize or to begin a job search.
Q: Another supervisor commented that I've hired an entire staff just like myself. We do share similar attitudes and work styles and get along very well. But it was also suggested that we have "group think" and can't be as creative as we'd be with more diversity in this office.
A: You should, first, be congratulated on making hiring decisions that have resulted in a cohesive work group. A congenial work force isn't, of course, your only goal, but it's a goal few organizations reach. In that respect, you've accomplished quite a lot.
Take your co-worker's comment as an interesting challenge. Does your department suffer as a result of hiring decisions you've made? Are your employees really "just like you" or do they maintain an environment of respect and professionalism - which has been misread as "they're all alike"?
Evaluate the working styles of your staff and the needs of your department and company. Look, also, at what isn't needed for the kind of work your department handles. For example, if creativity would harm your department you have to hire with that in mind.
If you discover some valuable characteristics are missing, you can and should compensate. However, among the many ways to diversify only one is hiring specifically to bridge that gap. You can train yourself and your staff to look at problems and opportunities differently. For example, if your staff relies heavily on data, details and facts, encourage them to look at possibilities - to think outside the box. If, on the other hand, your staff is always thinking outside the box, encourage them to examine facts, available resources and the experiences of others.
If you aren't sure how to begin thinking about problems differently, talk with other supervisors and brainstorm with them on how they would approach situations. Don't discount ideas unlike your own - this is your opportunity to understand other ways of thinking. Analyzing the results to understand the thinking process, as well as the offered solutions, should expand your way of thinking.
While you may not want to make changes in the way your department works, it's healthy both personally and organizationally to challenge our ways of thinking from time to time.
Your co-worker was probably making conversation and didn't intend for the remark to be given a second thought. However, many great ideas are sparked by someone else's casual comment.
Camille Wright Miller, an organizational behavior sociologist who works in Lexington, answers questions from our readers about workplace issues. Please send them to her in care of The Roanoke Times, Business News Department, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke 24010.
LENGTH: Medium: 88 linesby CNB