Although a company’s move to outsourcing can sometimes strike fear in employees who see their jobs as endangered, if done right workers may find that the process provides them with an opportunity to advance their careers and hone their skills, a recent poll suggests.
…in fact people often improve their positions and get to work for a specialist operationPaul Dunn>TextThe poll, conducted in Europe and commissioned by IT services company LogicaCMG PLC, examined the opinions of 200 employees in large organizations before, during and after their positions were outsourced. While 84 percent of those surveyed felt apprehensive at the prospect of having their positions outsourced, around 70 percent said that they were more satisfied with the new roles they were given following the transition.
“There is a lot of confusion surrounding outsourcing, when in fact people often improve their positions and get to work for a specialist operation,” said LogicaCMG management consultant Paul Dunn.
While remuneration packages, benefits and retraining are important in helping employees through the transition, early and open communication from employers about the decision is the crucial factor in easing employee fears, Dunn said.
“A lot of the transition is about perception and to do the process right, communication is key,” he said. Dunn suggested telling employees as much as possible about the process, how it will effect them and how their roles will change as soon as the decision is made.
Another important factor is inclusion and making sure that companies offer workers the opportunity to voice their opinions and concerns, Dunn said. Participation by work councils and representative bodies can be particularly helpful in moving employees through the transition and giving them a channel for their feedback. In fact, 82 percent of those surveyed said that representative bodies played a crucial role in the process.