Have you ever watched the CBS Television reality show, Undercover Boss? In case you’ve missed it, the premise involves the chief executive of a company adopting a new identity in order to work a variety of frontline jobs with a goal of getting in touch with employees and streamlining operations.
A recent episode piqued my interest, so I put down the remote control and watched as Bill Massa, the head of waste processing company Synagro Technologies Inc., dove into some of the dirtiest jobs around. He worked with dewatering plant operators to test sludge cake and clean filtering systems. He removed biosolids from a lagoon in Kansas. He waded waist-deep into a treatment plant holding tank to pump out sludge.
SEEING IS BELIEVING
The thrill of watching a top executive get a little dirt under his fingernails is good TV. But more important than the theatrics, Massa had the opportunity to find out about the daily challenges of his workforce. He got a glimpse of how efficiently the company’s systems work. He heard firsthand what several employees liked and disliked about working at Synagro.
As is the formula with primetime television entertainment, Massa learned many things about his company and overcame a slew of process and human resources challenges – and even shed a tear with his workers – in a mere 43 minutes (not including the commercials).
Among other things, he issued computing tools to allow one worker with a heavy travel schedule to video chat with his family. After working with another employee struggling to quit smoking, he added a smoking cessation program to the company’s health insurance benefits. He addressed another worker’s concerns by promising that proper portable sanitation would be available at every remote work location from now on.
Massa’s experience got me to thinking about what it would be like for the owner of a GOM support services company – who maybe hasn’t worked at a remote location lately – to become an Undercover Boss. Would you welcome or dread the opportunity to be a fly on the wall around your workers? How would you react to seeing a worker cut corners on a job or provide less-than-stellar customer service? Would you be ready to step in and make dramatic changes in your company based on an eye-opening experience like this?
It’s unlikely CBS will be calling you anytime soon to star on an episode of Undercover Boss. And those of you with smaller companies couldn’t put on a hat and fake moustache and get away with working incognito alongside employees.
MAKING CHANGES
But I have an exercise that might give you a few of the benefits of Undercover Boss without ever leaving the office. Ask yourself the following questions. The answers might tell you something about your management style, give you a better handle on workplace efficiency, and point to ways you can address a lingering human resource concern.
Would you be willing to do every job at your company?
You probably did perform the dirtiest work when you were starting out. Are you still willing to get knee-deep in a mess and show your workers how to do the job right? Sometimes it’s a good thing to remind the crews in the field that you know what their jobs entail. If they know you understand every process, they may be more apt to respect your most challenging marching orders. Also, they may feel freer to come to you with suggestions of better ways to complete a task. This will improve your company’s bottom line.
Will you hear good things about your management style?
What are employees saying about you when they head out the door for a mining or rig location? The prospect of hearing those conversations would be like cracking open your teenage daughter’s diary. It could scare the heck out of you, but might give you valuable clues about parenting.
Have you ever thought about asking workers to assess your skills as a manager? You can do this in a non-threatening and constructive way and gain some of the same insights as the CEOs on Undercover Boss. Being willing to listen to employees can help you gain and retain their respect, while learning ways you can improve as a leader.
Will workers complain about your benefits package?
You probably already have a good idea how employees feel about the perks of the job. If you don’t offer benefits like health insurance or vacation days, you know workers may not be happy about it. The question is, can you do something to turn what might be a negative into a positive?
Even incremental, measured improvements in the benefit package can have a big impact with workers. You might not be able to afford a premium, all-expenses-paid health insurance plan. But can you contribute to a health savings account for workers or offer a high-deductible plan as a start? If money is difficult to overcome, can you offer flexible work hours, modest bonuses for a job well done, or other motivators that don’t come with a big price tag? Remember the old saying, “little things mean a lot.”
Will employees backstab each other?
It’s not all about you. How would you handle it if you heard employees criticizing each other behind their backs? While you can take action to improve your relationships with workers, employees who can’t get along with each other can be just as big an issue. How can you improve employee morale?
Think about planning a team-building activity. It might be on the weekend, or even better, taking an afternoon during the workweek to plan a lunch or informal party to build camaraderie among employees. They work hard with each other – day after day – and probably spend more time together on the job than they do with their families at home. Reward them with a little fun so they associate being together with more than backbreaking work.
A FINAL THOUGHT
Being an Undercover Boss is designed to push you out of your comfort zone as a manager. Would you be able to react after the experience and make changes that will build a stronger company and more satisfied workforce?
