When company
culture fails, it generally does so on one of two levels: the work environment has deteriorated, or the way work is carried out has deteriorated.
However, both areas are interconnected, so once one has been infected with negativity, the other may well catch the disease.
Business leaders have two options. We can build or rebuild culture from the ground up. Or we can address the most obvious symptoms first and make improvements from there. If you are already dealing with an adverse cultural situation, here are some quick ways to regain control and turn things around
A supportive atmosphere
The purpose of workplace culture is to support
employees in their efforts to do their best work. And company culture does not simply exist on its own. It comes from the top. Leaders must become directly involved in untangling workplace issues. If your environment is not supportive, or if staff do not feel that it is, you may need to take one of these steps:
Say yes instead of no
Negative responses are often the default when a boss wants to maintain control or a direct report wants to avoid
problems.
Instead of automatically denying requests for a pay rise or flexible schedule, for example, let your first instinct be to agree... with conditions.
Make the benefit conditional on something you want from the employee, such as achieving
certain goals or adding skills that enhance their expertise.
If managers or staff tend to reject requests or new policies, take time to set clear boundaries and expectations: we expect you to accept new assignments, protocols or duties at critical times. Consider possible consequences for non-compliance. And add incentives for compliance or for going beyond typical demands.
The divide is bridged through
team bonding. Harmful gossip and hostile cliques cannot take hold when your workforce feels like a team. If these issues already exist, do everything possible to remind your people that everyone is rowing in the same direction. First and foremost, make sure that neither you nor your senior leaders engage in backstabbing or blame-shifting.
Then, use transparency and other trust-building measures to bring everyone together. If you are transparent about company finances, for example, every staff member will understand how their actions affect the organisation’s viability and, by extension, everyone’s job security. Make sure your employees get to know one another professionally, by sharing people’s roles and goals, and socially, by including icebreaker activities in meetings or company gatherings
Recognise routine and exceptional efforts
They do not call it “the daily grind” for nothing. A little recognition goes a long way in showing your people that you appreciate everything they do. From personal gifts to annual bonuses, gestures reinforce appreciation and demonstrate sincerity.
It is important for leaders to recognise performance in front of colleagues, and it is also a good idea to let employees share praise for their peers. You can hold a recognition ceremony or set aside meeting time to mention names.
An unrestricted workflow
If we ask employees about their biggest pet peeves, one of the top answers will be leaders making it harder for them to do their jobs. Sometimes this is a control issue; sometimes it is simply poor planning. Removing obstacles to achieving daily goals and solving problems, while giving employees the autonomy to make their own decisions, turns a negative into a positive.
Ask for feedback
Whether you are setting new policies or monitoring the status quo, ask your people for their views often. Do not limit questions to past activities. Go the extra mile and ask what would make it easier for them to do their jobs, then act accordingly.
Redefine problem-solving
Break the cycle of firefighting by treating problems as learning opportunities. Use positive approaches such as appreciative inquiry, which identifies what works when parts of initiatives fail, and uses brainstorming and
strategic planning to arrive at an ideal solution.
It also helps to stay ahead of a crisis by proactively establishing alternative paths before things go wrong. It is much easier to envision plans B and C without a deadline or a domino effect clouding your judgement. Include this tactic in project team meetings and broader management planning sessions.
Hire to innovate
Business and human resources leaders can cover all the bases by keeping innovation in mind when selecting new hires. Having a homogeneous staff may feel comfortable, but it stifles innovation. To avoid forced consensus, consider generational and background diversity among job candidates.
A workforce of different ages and personal backgrounds brings a healthy mix of perspectives. Different thinking styles spark more ideas, providing more and better ways to tackle challenges and improve workflow. Broad diversity also discourages cliques from forming around a majority group, which actually strengthens team bonds.
Even when you address the negative aspects of your company culture, you are entering a positive zone of opportunity. As a business leader, follow the golden rule for restoring or enriching your organisation’s work environment: model the behaviour you want to see, then remove any obstacles to achieving it. A strong culture will follow.
