How to make positive changes to re-engage and motivate employees after a company downturn
| Date | 10 June 2019 |
| Published date | 10 June 2019 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/SHR-02-2019-0012 |
| Pages | 104-108 |
| Author | Marta Rebull |
| Subject Matter | Hr & organizational behaviour,Employee behaviour |
How to make positive changes to
re-engage and motivate employees
after a company downturn
Marta Rebull
Abstract
Purpose –What motivates people to work? When jobs are abundant, salaries are competitive,
companiesare out-perking themselves and the workforceis fickle –is that really motivation? And, how do
you continue to motivateemployees in a company that struggles with its missionand is experiencing a
significant downturnand disengagement? The purpose of this study is to look at the measures Softonic,
one of Spain’s mostsuccessful tech companies, had to take tomotivate, re-engage and give employees
a strongsense of purpose after the company suffereda significant downturn.
Design/methodology/approach –Taking an honest look at the situationand tacking head on. Creating
a whole new playbook that relies on: Leadership by Example, Ownership and Empowerment, and
Developmentand Recognition.
Findings –When you create a culture of transparency, break down the barriers and empower your
employeesto reach beyond their limits; theywill re-engage and motivate.
Originality/value –This is a case study detailing how new managementre-engaged and motivated the
workforceof Softonic after a severe company downturn.
Keywords Culture, Transformation, Engagement, Human capital, Transparency, Employee engagement
Paper type Case study
Ask a company in Silicon Valley what motivates people to work, and the response
may be along the lines of: a pool table, a slide, on-site haircuts, free gourmet food,
Friday Happy Hour, “bring your dog to work” day, dry cleaning, shuttle buses and
the list goes on and on. But, when jobs are abundant, salaries are competitive, companies
are out-perking themselves and the workforce is fickle –is that really motivation? Does it
influence people to stay in their jobs?Does it influence people to do their jobs?
And, how do you continue to motivate employees in a company that struggles with its
mission and is experiencing a significant downturn and disengagement [...] where some
or all of those perks have to go away? How do you prevent mass exodus and avoid
extreme brain drain then? Once an employee becomes disengaged, the battle is near
lost. Drastic measures must be taken to bring them back into the fold and re-engage.
Odds are they have one foot out the door and will phone it in until a better opportunity
comes along.
Too often, companies structure their employee retention and motivation programmes
around superficial tactics. Money. Perks. Titles. While these can perhaps entice people to
join a team and stay until the next offer withmore money, more perks, a better title [...]they
often do very little to truly motivate a person to want to do their job and –moreimportantly –
do it well. Companies need to throw out their antiquated motivation playbooks and take a
fresh approach.
Marta Rebull is Vice
President of Human
Resources, Softonic
International S.A,
Barcelona, Spain.
PAGE 104 jSTRATEGIC HR REVIEW jVOL. 18 NO. 3 2019, pp. 104-108, ©EmeraldPublishing Limited, ISSN 1475-4398 DOI 10.1108/SHR-02-2019-0012
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