Latest Tell Jane event announced.
There isn’t a magic spell to rid the workplace of toxic behaviour – nor an elixir to drink, an invisibility cloak to don, a riddle to solve.
Toxic workplace behaviour can be tackled and it can be eradicated. There is an antidote – and it lies in your management team.
The latest seminar from Tell Jane will provide valuable insight for harnessing the skill and experience of your management team in tackling toxic workplace behaviour, uncovering need-to-know leadership secrets.
But, first things first, some difficult questions:
Can your managers manage?
Does their management style align to and enhance the company culture?
A survey by Harvard Business Review found that 73% managers see themselves as highly effective when they give criticism, despite it being widely known that praise and recognition yield results for employee productivity and retention. Indeed, research by the Cicero Group identified 79% employees who receive “strong recognition” feel highly engaged with their work. Performance management and jarring management styles are potential breeding grounds for toxic behaviour.
Have managers been recruited or promoted to a management position based on both their ability to excel in their role and in their ability to manage? Do they have the empathy, listening and communication skills to lead, nurture and inspire a team?
Recruitment of managers is vital – as is their induction to the organisation and ongoing professional development as a leader. The promotion of employees to management level – more often than not high performers or those who have been with the company for a long time – and the introduction of new managers – especially those recruited to “take the business to the next level” or “sort out a department” – risk creating a toxic culture if they do not have the effective people and communication skills to manage.
Finally, C-suite and management teams are responsible for leading from the front. It is from them that messages cascade down for what constitutes appropriate workplace behaviour. So their buy-in to the company culture is essential.
As HR professionals, we’re often expected to spring into action when a grievance is raised or to deal with the aftermath of a case. But, with an effective management team on our side, the risk of toxic behaviour being allowed to exist, breed and impact the business is significantly reduced – and if incidences do occur, managers are equipped with the skills and confidence to tackle issues head on.
