Some managers are irritated by their staff. Yet the quality of social relations is a key element.

Being an employer in an SME today is no mean feat. As labour costs rise, the employer faces increasing challenges. He can lose track when it comes to his social responsibilities. Paradoxically, labour law, designed to protect employees, can undermine human relations and weaken the company.

Social tensions

In a small business, any element that upsets the fragile human balance can turn into a real nightmare. However, the attitude towards work has changed: the younger generation prefers a better life balance while seeking a stimulating and varied work environment.

When an employee decides to take a break, for example to take a trip around the world or to devote himself or herself to a family project, this inevitably affects the rest of the team, especially when the team is small. Moreover, parental leave of up to 12 months can be obtained for any child up to the age of 12 (and even 21 if they have a physical or mental disability).

More worrisome is that absenteeism in our country is reaching unprecedented levels. In 2021, almost 6.13% of working days were lost due to sick leave, a record high. Although this figure has undoubtedly been influenced by Covid, it was already at worrying levels (above 5%) in 2019 and 2020.

For short-term absences, employers are penalised twice because they assume the guaranteed wage (one month for employees, seven days for workers). Long-term illnesses, often linked to stress (burnout, etc.), are another scourge that can rock a small structure to its foundations because they are unpredictable and therefore impossible to plan for.

Inverted power relations

In the current context of the “war for talent” raging in many sectors, power relations are reversed. Not uncommonly, the employee, supported by their union, turns out to have mastered the intricacies of union law better than the employer, who has no time to delve into it.

A puzzling social relationship can be observed: the boss bends over backwards to entice and pamper his staff. The fear of seeing good employees leave may also deter him from investing in their training, as they could easily sell their newly acquired expertise.

Discouragement of some SME managers

Het hoeft dan ook niet te verbazen dat sommige KMO-managers ontmoedigd zijn. Aangezien zij zelf weinig sociale bescherming genieten, zijn zij het beu de tekortkomingen van hun werknemers te moeten compenseren en ervaren zij deze situatie als onrechtvaardig. Deze ontmoediging kan zich ontwikkelen tot ergernis en leiden tot het besluit het bedrijf te verkopen. Een triest feit!

Good communication

The quality of the social climate, built up over time, becomes all the more important at the time of transfer. When employees, who are kept out of the discussions for confidentiality reasons, hear the news, they are often worried, too worried even. They fear for their future, while the buyer wants to retain the team.

So the key is to communicate well, at the right time, with clarity and conviction.

The fact remains that the staff did not ask for anything and are therefore subject to the change. They will have no choice but to adapt to the new management style. The buyer will have to be patient and pragmatic. He must try to find some kind of ally in the staff and gradually win their trust to unite the team around his project.

Article by Mr Tanguy della Faille