Need More Help at Work? Be Smart About How You Ask

The first time I tried to get approval for an incremental FTE (Full Time Equivalent) in my department, I was taught a tough lesson by my boss, a Senior VP. I based my pitch on the volume of work and the inability of my department to keep up with it. My request was turned down, and I was beside myself. In a bit of a panic, I told my boss that the workload had increased to the point where I was working nights and weekends to pick up the slack. He looked at me and said, “Well, then you’ve been doing yourself a disservice.” I was overcome with frustration. He further explained that if I was killing myself to keep up, and WAS keeping up, then why would anyone think I needed additional manpower? I had to make more noise about not being able to get things done – instead of quietly finding a way to do them with the resources I had. End of story.

In today’s environment, the biggest problem with getting a new position approved is that it adds corporate expense, or overhead. So the best approach is one or both of the following:

1. Find a way to fund the position that doesn’t take money out of one hand to put it into another.
2. Show that addition of the position will avoid corporate expense net/net – either by eliminating another corporate expense or by generating additional revenue attributable to your department.

Do not use the approach that, “If we don’t do X we can’t get Y accomplished”. That, on its own, will probably not be successful. But do present a situation (the gap), and clearly and dispassionately define the impact of not addressing the gap.

Keep in mind that your company might rather hire consultants/contractors to do work (normally temporary – project by project) than to add a position to the payroll (a forever thing). Which pocket the expense comes out of is a big deal from a budgeting/accounting perspective.

Also think in terms of proposing alternatives. Your company may choose to (1) Create a new permanent position, (2) Hire a consultant/contractor to be internally managed within the team, (3) Outsource the work that needs to be done, or (4) Redistribute some responsibilities to another department.

Be realistic, objective, and creative and get your ducks in a row for your pitch. Good luck.

Expectations Upfront

Many misunderstandings and disappointments with new employees can be proactively avoided by clearly setting expectations upfront. This is Management 101, but over the years I have been stunned by my observations of issues that could have easily been avoided by following a few simple procedures as part of the orientation of a new hire. REVIEW THE POSITION DESCRIPTION TOGETHER Hopefully the employee saw the Position Description as part of the interview and hiring process. I recommend you go over it again, and include a verbal elaboration of the responsibilities. This document should be a touchstone for the employee and for management when evaluating performance. EXPLAIN YOUR MANAGEMENT PHILOSOPHY Tell the employee how you operate as a manager. This might include statements like, “I’m very hands on”, “I’ll provide the goals, but you have leeway in how to accomplish them”, “I’m always available when you need help or advice”, or “Part of my job is to clear the path for you”. BE CLEAR ABOUT REPORTING REQUIREMENTS This is the time to explain how you want to be kept informed of what’s going on. You may require a weekly or monthly status report in writing. The employee might need to be prepared to provide a verbal update in a weekly team meeting. If there is an accepted format or methodology for reporting, provide it now. CLARIFY POLICIES In a corporate environment, official policies are documented, and team members read them and acknowledge their receipt. Some require additional emphasis. Discuss work hours, harassment policies, travel and expense accounts – whatever you think warrants discussion. CONFESS PET PEEVES The first thing on my personal list was to communicate my ‘zero tolerance’ policy for gum chewing in the workplace. If you have a peeve that sets you off, don’t wait for the poor unsuspecting newbie to make the mistake and be embarrassed – lay it on the line. GETTING STARTED Finally, be clear about how the new hire will get up to speed, what their priorities are, and how they will be incorporated into the existing team. Talk about what’s going on in the department, and time frames for goals. The first few weeks of a team member’s employment are a key to healthy long-term relationships. As management, you need to make the effort to set clear expectations upfront.