At work, competition and the economic climate are forcing everyone to do more with less. Stress is high among management and workers. People who once loved their work and their company now report that they “put up with it” because they have to pay the bills and support their families.
Especially during these challenging times, management needs to be aware of their own personal style and the cultural environment they are creating. Studies suggest that poor management is one of the primary reasons that people leave their organizations, even if they essentially like their job. It is up to each manager, therefore, to take an honest look at him or herself to assess their role in creating a culture where employees thrive, or merely survive. Are you guilty of any of these behaviors or attitudes that negatively impact the workplace?
Don’t make every situation an emergency. Prioritize your needs to your co-workers and subordinates. If every task is A-1 priority and every situation needs to be addressed ASAP, then this creates stress for both you and those around you. Be realistic in setting reasonable priorities. An environment where everyone is constantly putting out fires is one where people will burn out, get sick or decide that they have had enough and leave.
Don’t get emotional with what is not going right at work. Some businesses are guilty of allowing employees and managers to yell at one another when things are not going right. Some people quietly put up with it, some make jokes about it, but nobody likes to live with it. Being civil and respectful is not an unreasonable expectation at work. Companies that allow irate behavior from uncontrollable hotheads deserve to lose the employees who chose not to tolerate that behavior.
Don’t jump to conclusions or make assumptions about what is going on around you. When things are moving fast and the stress is on, people tend to jump to conclusions that are frequently erroneous. Blame follows: This creates bad feelings and more stress for everyone involved. When something is not right, take the time to probe and find out exactly what happened. More importantly, give others the benefit of the doubt until you know the facts of the situation for sure.
Don’t erroneously measure people’s value by the number of hours they put in at work. Measure their effectiveness by the results they obtain. There are many people who can accomplish much in an eight or nine hour day, and others who can be there for twelve hours and be only half as productive. Managers who expect very long hours from employees as a sign of company dedication and loyalty are sending the wrong message to their people. Set objectives and hold people accountable to those objectives. That is the way to measure the value that one brings to the organization.
Don’t expect people to do a great job without the tools and resources necessary to accomplish it. Whether it is time, technology, or training, it is imperative to give employees the right support systems to be able to reach the goal. Most people want to do a good job, but when they feel that they are being asked to accomplish the impossible they can lose the motivation to even try. Others will go through the motions of doing the best that they can, while feeling inside that they are being set up to fail due to circumstances beyond their control.
Don’t hold the attitude that people should feel lucky to have a job working for you or your company. In a time when we are experiencing an employee’s market, everyone has a choice. When good people are consistently treated poorly or unfairly, or if they are trying to work in a dysfunctional environment, they will only put up with it for so long. They might appear to be working hard, but they are probably putting feelers out or discreetly interviewing for a next opportunity. Never take good talent for granted. And if you do, don’t be surprised when they make the decision to take care of their own needs above your unrealistic demands.
