Keeping our fortress tight

A sudden contraction in demand has crippled firms with redundant teams. At OfBusiness, 7 key mantras have helped us absorb the slack.

1. Never threw people at the problem – We are 20% understaffed in good times, with teams being compensated for over delivery through incentives.
2. Customer facing work – In good times, >90% of us serve the customer directly even in support functions. Non-customer facing areas like training and process documentation are priority in bad times.
3. New launches – We pilot in bad times, like launching pipes and food grains now. The burden of proof is sterner. If we succeed now, we will ace it always!
4. Org mobility – We freely move across functions and regions at all times. We make new friends and learn new skills. Hence, in crisis, we are ready to do different things. A “sharing” culture, both by choice and executive decision, supports it.
5. Innovation through challenge – In a crisis, the war cry is simple. “You know the truth, the goal (“profit” for us) and boundaries (“risk” for us). The sky is your limit. Go!”
6. Crisis round the corner – That belief helps. It makes us plan and act when we are not in one.
7. We are assets not expenses – That belief helps even more. Assets bounce and earn back, expenses may not.