Workplace Culture Archives - Trang 2 trên 8

Telling Colleagues What You Really Think

Sự gắn kết, Workplace Culture / My Holland

Employees aren’t often honest with each other. Most wouldn’t dare give feedback to their bosses. I know because I’ve been there and maybe, you have too. Looking back, I realize why we hold back from discussing hard truths. We dislike offending or hurting others’ feelings. We also fear “retaliation” from others, especially superiors. But there are ways of being truthful and avoiding all the problems that may arise. First, you need to change your mindset and approach. Here are some tips that can help you. 1. Determine if being honest will be constructive Before you point out a colleague’s flaws, ask yourself – are you doing so to help the other person improve? Also, are you trying to stop a person from committing self-destructive behaviors? Many like to find fault in others to belittle them. Make sure you want to help the other person. 2. Put it in writing Typing and re-typing is so easy on a PC / Laptop. You can review your piece several times before sending it to your colleague. Now, you would ask why not in person. Things could quickly get out of hand during a conversation. Tempers could flare up and you could say hurtful words. There’s also the issue of timing. You might catch your colleague at the wrong time. A written piece is beneficial to your recipients. At first, they might be upset. But, given time, they may realize you may have a point. Later on, if your colleague desires, you can discuss what you wrote them. 3. Empathize What would your reaction be if you were the recipient of your letter/memo? Do you see it as an attempt to help you become better? There was a time when I didn’t particularly appreciate being told of what I was doing wrong. But, I met people who could give feedback without being offensive. Their secret is empathy. They put themselves in my shoes and knew how to communicate with me. 4. Remember to mention the other person’s strengths Tell your colleagues what they’re doing great. Let them know that you recognize their contributions to the organization. If they’re well-liked, admired or respected, remember to mention it. 5. Offer Solutions You only present a problem with a possible fix. Often, your colleagues will have ideas on how to solve them. But even though they have a solution, yours might be better. Lastly, remember to offer help or further discussion.

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Build Trust with Empathy

It’s not surprising that empathy is necessary for building trust in the workplace. You’re not only putting yourself in others’ shoes. You also open up more when you share your thoughts and feelings.

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Consider Jobs that Focus on People

Nhận Thức, Hạnh phúc tại nơi làm việc, Mindfulness, Wellbeing, Workplace Culture / My Holland / Jobs that Focus on People

If you told someone you were the head of culture of your company, you would get a confused look. The same can be said of job titles like Manager of Well-Being (Delta Airlines) and Director of Flexible Work (Microsoft). The modern workplace has evolved into something that would be unrecognizable decades ago. New priorities required dedicated persons to perform specific tasks. This has led to the creation of jobs and titles unheard of before. Companies didn’t create new job titles only because of current needs. Often, these developments resulted from the recognition that well-being, culture, flexible work, happiness and many others have become more significant in organizations. There will be more hiring for positions that focus on the above. Titles will vary, but the functions will be similar. Here are a few that might interest you. This person is in charge of an organization’s culture. Companies created this position to ensure employees are on the same page with a company’s culture. Employees and not just brands should reflect a company’s vision, mission and goals. Often though, the culture and brands are the same. There was a time when organizations were only concerned with their employee’s physical health and safety. But, buying health insurance or the occasional “drinks on the house” no longer suffices if a company wants to show it cares for its employees. Now, companies focus on everyone’s overall well-being at the workplace. So, aside from Delta Airlines, Rakuten and Unilever have added well-being officers to their ranks. It’s not made up or imaginary. A 2015 University of Warwick found that happier employees are 12% more productive. Usually, the HR Manager is responsible for employee happiness. But in the case of Google, the HR Director and CHO are two different persons. Currently, you’ll find CHOs in large companies. For SMEs, a separate position may not be needed, but looking after the overall happiness of employees is still necessary. Hybrid working arrangements are still trending today. The benefits are undeniable, like paying less rent for smaller office spaces. With an increased number of remote employees, there’s a need for a dedicated person in charge of hybrid work. Setting up procedures, providing guidelines and ensuring open lines of communication are some of the flexible work manager’s responsibilities. So, if you’re applying for a job, try incorporating any of the above functions. It will set you apart from other candidates.

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Be the Conscience your Organization Needs

Nhận Thức, Mindfulness, Workplace Culture / My Holland / Conscience in the Workplace

Most businesses are only concerned with the bottom line. It’s especially tough when CEOs have to answer to investors. Many would call corporations greedy and evil. However, greed isn’t the monopoly of large companies. It also exists in SMEs. You’ve encountered businesses that cut corners, misrepresent and make wild claims or vague promises. All of these are meant to cut costs and increase profits. Yet you might be surprised to learn that many big corporations develop a conscience. And sometimes, it only takes one person to make that change happen. Dr. Tadataka Yamada When Dr. Yamada was hired to become the head of Glaxo SmithKline’s R&D, he learned that his company was part of a lawsuit against South Africa’s access to HIV drugs. Dr. Yamada thought that as a pharmaceutical company, GSK had the moral responsibility to cure disease and not prevent people from accessing life-saving drugs. Unlike other employees who shared his belief but chose to be silent, Dr. Yamada voiced his thoughts to the company’s board members. Without going into case details, he convinced GSK to drop its lawsuit and lower its drug prices for HIV. Dr. Yamada might have outside help in changing the actions of a giant corporation. But he proved that one person can still make a difference. Conscience in the Workplace Traditionally, a company doesn’t have a conscience. It has no obligations except those stated by law. For example, a business can increase prices when manufacturing costs go up. Exceptions occur when for instance, a government sets ceilings, especially for essential items like food. When greed is the force behind price increases, no law can stop it. But, when this leads to acts like false advertising, it can become a criminal offense. Your sense of right and wrong matter If you’re part of a business, you know that you should provide excellent products or services to get ahead. Imagine you’re a supervisor at an auto-repair shop. A few mechanics take advantage of unsuspecting owners to charge more for repairs. Will you keep silent or end such dishonesty? The second should always be your option. Sure, offending employees might be angry with you.But, when you tolerate dishonesty, you only encourage more of the same. Honesty and integrity always pay off in the long run. Speak out when you don’t agree with an act or practice in the office. Making decisions by choosing what’s right is always good for any organization.

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Tips on Having an Effective One-on-One Meeting

Khả năng lãnh đạo, Productivity, Workplace Culture / My Holland

Many employees think one-on-one meetings are useless. They go through the motions and expect nothing to come out of it. The reason could be simple. The wrong questions are being asked and nothing worthy is discussed. You want to get the most out of these sit-downs as a leader. These are not ordinary conversations, although you want to set a conversational tone to create a relaxed atmosphere. Much feedback can be gained from one-on-one meetings if done right. The challenge is that many bosses don’t realize that it’s their responsibility to conduct meaningful discussions. If you’re a manager, boss or the top person in your organization, take note of the following before you call or schedule a sit-down. 1. The first step is to review notes from past meetings. It will give you an idea of where your starting point is. 2. The next step is to prepare questions relevant to the person you’re to meet. Don’t waste time on subjects your employee doesn’t know about. Avoid templates or generic questionnaires. These don’t do much good today. However, there are basic questions that you should consider and here are several: Encourage your employee to keep talking. So don’t forget the following: · Go on… · Why do you think that? · Tell me more. · Give me an example. 3. Listen and take notes, which means putting on silent distractions like phones. You may not agree, but acknowledge what your employee is saying. Also, you shouldn’t talk too much or too little. Offer suggestions and advice when you can. 4. Recap and plan for the next meeting. Summarize everything discussed and ask your employee if you missed anything. Also, determine what needs to be addressed the next time you meet. After your meeting, evaluate how you did and find out how you can do better next time.

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Workplace Culture

Telling Colleagues What You Really Think

Build Trust with Empathy

Consider Jobs that Focus on People

Be the Conscience your Organization Needs

Tips on Having an Effective One-on-One Meeting

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