Organizational development....ohhh boy?? (employee, interview, jobs, companies)

[SuperDownSized]

Hello all,

The company I work for has brought in a consultant that specializes in organizational development. They say he has been brought in to help 'grow' the company. I think this is a bunch of nonsense as the top managers have been shuffling around scared and are mostly absent. This alarms me because this consultant is supposedly working with management to map out a plan. I don't see how that is possible when he is at the office and management is not. Lower level managers are there though.

I have a sneaking suspicion that corporate hired the consultant because our division is in financial trouble.

Has anyone here had their company bring in such a consultant and not downsize the company? What about the other possible scenarios like pay cuts and demotions?

[FarNorthDallas]

Yes, I am pretty sure there is a direct relationship between "hiring a consultant" and impending layoffs. I remember when my dad first told me that in the 1980s and it's been true ever since.

[SuperDownSized]

other red flags have been there as well. Such as focus groups, continued direction to 'cut costs', vacant positions, and holding out until the last minute to pay vendors. There was talk of furloughs late last year but they were averted. I just don't see how in that short of a time we go from possible furloughs all the way to doing very well with the numbers and growing the company. Plus, there have been lots of secretive closed door meetings. The vibe that management is giving off is of big trouble and not uncontrolled growth.

On top of all this, a big contract they were trying to get didn't come through. I don't understand why all the lies. Maybe they are just trying to save morale? I have a bad feeling management may be on the chopping block.

I wish I knew how long this was going to take because everyone is acting really strange and it makes me feel really weird when I am in the office.

[kodaka]

I've worked for several companies that hired organizational consultants that didn't lay off. One was just brought in to improve communication, after there had been a few pretty costly snafus directly attributable to people not talking to each other. Another was brought in after the layoffs, as the company began hiring new people, to deal with a mentality that was developing between the 'we survived the layoffs' and the 'new people'.

I don't think necessarily a consultant has to mean bad things. If there are other signs, well, maybe that is bad news. Or maybe you're just interpreting them wrong. For example, not telling you what is happening behind closed doors isn't 'lying'. And bringing in a consultant to help 'grow' the company doesn't mean they have a problem with 'uncontrolled growth'.

[Boardwalk 08755]

A few red flags I've encountered:

1. Being asked to describe your job
2. Being asked to document every task, meeting, phone-call, etc. you perform in one day.
3. Being asked to train the new guy on certain facets of your job.
4. Lots of closed door meetings and/or doors slamming
5. People staying late/arriving early that usually are clock-watchers.
6. Weird new people showing up @ 5PM (interviewees)
7. Resumes on the fax machine
8. Jobs posted on Craigslist that look eerily like yours or your co-workers.
9. Constant phone-calls to the AP department (by rude and demanding people).
10. The boss constantly experimenting with new software, procedures, etc. (and touting them as the next big thing that will save the company)
11. COD deliveries
12. Poorer quality of purchased materials arriving
13. People who once didn't care about how things got done, are now showing an interest in learning everything.

[mcb1025]

Rent Office Space. This could be your big break into upper management.

[SuperDownSized]

Originally Posted by kodaka

I've worked for several companies that hired organizational consultants that didn't lay off. One was just brought in to improve communication, after there had been a few pretty costly snafus directly attributable to people not talking to each other. Another was brought in after the layoffs, as the company began hiring new people, to deal with a mentality that was developing between the 'we survived the layoffs' and the 'new people'.

I don't think necessarily a consultant has to mean bad things. If there are other signs, well, maybe that is bad news. Or maybe you're just interpreting them wrong. For example, not telling you what is happening behind closed doors isn't 'lying'. And bringing in a consultant to help 'grow' the company doesn't mean they have a problem with 'uncontrolled growth'.

Maybe uncontrolled growth was the wrong word to use. Basically what management is telling me and what I see are two different things. Plus, I was asked to do something for the consultant and when I went to his office to give him what he had requested, the HR lady came running out of her office to be right there and make sure I wasn't alone with him.

My whole point is that I want to know what is going on because I have a family to take care of including a young child. By taking time off to interview I risk disciplinary action but I think the ship is going down quick. They have only been losing business and they had some large unexpected costs due to employee accidents. I do not see any explanation for the sudden change. My manager says that we are going to grow and the consultant told another employee that he was there to help the company grow when the employee asked. All the other signs point to big trouble and I feel that when something like this happens a company should be honest with their employees as much as possible.

Their statements don't match the events occurring up to this point.

[SuperDownSized]

Originally Posted by mcb1025

Rent Office Space. This could be your big break into upper management.

Good one