STOP the Disaster Threat of Sustainable Employability Initiatives

INTRODUCTION

Recently I attended another conference on sustainable employability. Or should I better call it sustainable performance? It almost seems that word choice and a technical approach are also here winning over substance, that is to say, then what it really should be about.

Let me go straight to the proverbial black cat pictured above - the black cat announces ominous times in terms of sustainable employability in organizations and companies.

I will not give you a detailed account of sustainable employability here, because there are countless experts who can do this much better than I do. No, I want to highlight the categorical exclusion of executives and entrepreneurs from sustainable employability initiatives. Or can I perhaps better refer to the (non-labour sector) specific category of managers, as a group?

DISASTER THREAT

The disaster threat arises, but not because managers are not involved in the introduction of sustainable employability initiatives for employees. This is certainly being done. The manager is often even expected to play a leading role in supporting these initiatives. Of course, not alone, but with the entire Management Team (MT).

The problem is therefore not necessarily in those other initiatives. However, the same manager, who should give support to others, often needs a sustainable employability initiative for him/herself. But who is there for the manager? Human Resources? Board of Directors? Supervisory Board? Often the manager feels alone and he/she finds the threshold to ask for help too big. After all, the question is: Help with what?

Recently a manager told me: "Johan, what are they thinking? If they just would be aware. I really have other things on my mind. I can shout it out. I cannot dedicate my energy in yet another initiative? It is just too much. "

Why are there so many managers who suffer from performance pressure, excessive stress, pre-burnout or even burnout? First of all, there is a huge taboo on (business) setbacks and performance problems. In addition, there is also a creeping, ever-increasing, situation of burn-out that is often accompanied by little self-insight. When the situation has become unbearable, the manager tries to find a rational solution. This rational solution should be there? Or not?

Recently, this taboo was once again confirmed in a short article in “de Volkskrant” (24 November 2017). This publication, entitled: "Taboo on business setback - More than one in ten entrepreneurs is in trouble", made it clear that research by the Dutch Chamber of Commerce among entrepreneurs (N = ± 1200) showed that one in ten entrepreneurs despite the economic recovery, is suffering from heavy business setbacks.

The question is interesting: What was there first? The burn-out phenomena or the financial setback? Often, it is not entirely unjustified that the financial setback is the cause of a possible burn-out. However, my practical experience shows that this certainly does not have to be always the case.

I do not even have to submit the scenario to you, but suppose that a manager breaks down due to a burn-out. In view of the role of the executive or entrepreneur, this unfortunately goes further than just the 'sandwich' of the manager, there are countless 'sandwiches' associated with the supervisor. As a result, the outage has a much greater negative effect than only on the individual and his/her family.

In the case of the executive or entrepreneur, longer-term absence causes desperation and often leaves the company unsheltered and lost. In the case of an entrepreneur, long-term illness (loss) due to a burn-out can even lead to bankruptcy of the company.

In my work I specifically focus on sustainable performance improvement among executives and entrepreneurs and on the sustainable prevention or recovery of a burn-out. It will not surprise you that I am therefore extremely interested in sustainable employability, especially for this group.

In recent years, I have been particularly surprised about the absence of sustainable employability initiatives for managers. In many organisations, there is ample talk about diversity and inclusion, but time and time again I have to conclude that the umpteenth sustainable employability initiative is again focused on the employees and not on managers. Every time I make a comment about this, they say: "Yes, that is very well noticed, we had not really looked at this in this way yet. You clearly have a point here. "

I cannot give clear percentages with regard to burn-out among managers in the Netherlands, because they are simply not available for this group, but it is clear that the current ‘sustainable employability’ of hard-working managers is not the best. Without trying to do a 'free extrapolation' of the data, I dare to say that of the approximately one million workers with a burn-out in the Netherlands (CBS / TNO statistics), tens of thousands of executives have recently gotten a burn-out, are on the verge of getting a burn-out or will get again another burn-out in some time (relapse).

You are probably familiar with the disappointing figure of around 70% with regard to relapse after a burn-out. Here again, no specific figures are known for managers, but given the specific circumstances of this group and the often limited sustainable burn-out approach, I think it is quite likely that the percentage for this group is even higher.

CONCLUSION

I would like to sound the alarm and seriously argue for sustainable employability initiatives for executives, entrepreneurs and managers.

We cannot really expect a manager who balances himself on the verge of a burnout to expect him/her to be empathetic and be practically supportive for yet another new initiative for the sustainable employability of his/her employees? Or to provide enthusiastic support in the prevention of burn-out or in the reintegration of employees?

I think the time has come for us make room for a sustainable prevention approach to burn-out and a recovery policy for managers and that all this will become part of an integral sustainable employability policy; sustainable prevention, recovery and reintegration.

In short, for me the disaster threat of sustainable employability initiatives comes from the (perhaps unconscious/unintentional) exclusion of managers, which implies that we are constantly making a false start.

Organizations will have to 'sufficiently' prime themselves for integral social mobility and therefore also for changing work situations and work relationships that arise, for example, through technological development. We will have to start with leadership and involve this group more than alone to be in support of sustainable employability initiatives. Together we will have to develop initiatives that are 'leadership worthy' and can be seen as part of the future leadership of DNA.

In this way, parallel successes are achieved and we can structurally support the pressing and threatening leadership and talent crisis through sustainable prevention of burn-out and recovery initiatives.

At the same time, managers can continue to develop sustainably so that they can better support employees and help prevent and recognize burn-out, in themselves and in others. I think that will be a real win-win situation.

What is your view on this situation? What kind of sustainable employability initiatives for executives, entrepreneurs and managers have you seen in practice? What do you think should change?

I look forward to receiving your comments.

With kind regards,

Johan Reinhoudt

Founder/CEO Top-Coach, Certified Master Executive Coach

Top-Coach is very specifically focused on executive and entrepreneurial performance improvement and burnout prevention and recovery management