There are issues in your workplace. People may be tense, unhappy, and/or stressed out. The breakroom is quiet, and people fear making mistakes or getting blamed for a problem. Turnover is high, and moral is low.
Do you have a toxic workplace? Here are some signs:
- Communication doesn’t flow. Nearly half of employees say bad communication –between managers and among coworkers –is common in toxic workplaces.
- Burnout is common year-round.
- Leaders hide out at home or in their offices.
- There is no clear hybrid/remote plan.
- Celebrations are rare.
- Technology is troublesome, and employees have problems sharing information and/or completing tasks.
How can you fix a toxic organization? For starters:
- Make a plan for regular communication from upper management, encouraging feedback from employees and regular interactions between managers and team members.
- Encourage managers to watch for signs of burnout and make it easy for workers to take breaks and get help when they need it.
- Encourage managers to spend “quality” time with their teams. In addition to meetings, huddles, and one-on-one, promote social and/or team building activities.
- Managers should use a variety of means to praise, recognize, and reward workers; and they should do so regularly.
- Make sure you have the right technology. Encourage workers to share ideas for capabilities, tools, apps, devices, and other things they would find useful. Work with IT and vendors to keep systems, devices, and training up to date.
