When a loss isn't such a loss

Managing a shop means dealing with events that often occur without much warning. One such event for our shop was the resignation of an experienced, respected employee who chose to embark upon a career as an independent contractor and consultant. After receiving his courtesy letter of resignation, upper management immediately started evaluating the impact of losing this key employee. His experience and input was important to the company, especially to those on the shop floor.

A resignation of this magnitude had not occurred in a few years and it was a reality check: Never get too comfortable and assume your best, most- senior employees will stay indefinitely. For shop owners and managers, recovering quickly when an important employee leaves will be made easier by having a contingency plan, but even with that proactive approach, such an event can create a void that is difficult to fill.

Another related scenario could involve dismissing a longtime employee whose time has come, but the thought of the potential vacancy can be intimidating, creating procrastination and doubt. I’m here to remind all owners and managers that while these situations may seem stressful, a silver lining exists when a key employee leaves, because such an event can be a blessing in disguise.

Back in 2001, we decided to terminate a senior employee. It wasn’t easy and the decision wasn’t made because of his lack of knowledge, but because of his uncooperative attitude. The task of telling him was given to me and while we were confident it was the right decision, the pending vacancy was still a concern. I was also worried about my handling of the situation and the possibility of creating fear and doubt among other employees. However, the impact of the termination was minimal and the anticipated vacuum never materialized. Talk about a relief!

Fast forward to 2014, when the senior technical employee with similar credentials informed us he was leaving. Again, it was easy to visualize a worst-case scenario and assume the transition would be arduous. The shop leaned on him as a knowledgeable problem solver and the thought of that vacancy was worrisome yet again.

Our management team analyzed and reanalyzed. We had not considered being without him and replacing him would be a challenge. He had relationships with several good customers, and I was concerned about the impression his departure would leave with them. Now we’d have to depend on the two remaining, younger engineers about the wondered if they could handle the daily grind. Again, my general reaction about the impact of this departure was mostly bad.

However, just like the earlier event dismissing a senior employee, the resulting impact of the resignation was minimal and no drama ensued. The younger engineers successfully took over and the decisions made by management in handling the loss worked well. Our proactive approach helped minimize the loss and the departure created opportunities for others to step up. As it worked out, we didn’t have to find a replacement, which was a relief.

Of course, certain employees are irreplaceable, especially when the one leaving is an owner or a senior manager. But such an event doesn’t have to—and likely won’t—be the end of the shop as you know it. At best, the event may trigger changes that were needed to begin with. Trust your experience, show confidence when making decisions, put your employees at ease and move forward. CTE

About the Author: Keith Jennings is president of Crow Corp., Tomball, Texas, a family-owned company focusing on machining, metal fabrication and metal stamping. Contact him at kjennings@jwr.com.