Civility and Employee Retention

 Civility in the workplace plays a crucial role in employee retention.

 Creates a Positive Work Environment:

·      Civility fosters a sense of respect and belonging, which are essential for employee satisfaction.

·      When employees feel valued and appreciated, they are more likely to enjoy their work and stay with the company.

·      A positive environment reduces stress and burnout, which are major contributors to employee turnover.

 Enhances Employee Engagement:

·      Civil workplaces encourage open communication and collaboration.

·      Employees who feel comfortable sharing their ideas and opinions are more engaged in their work.

·      Increased engagement leads to higher productivity and a stronger sense of commitment to the organization.

 Reduces Turnover Costs:

·      Replacing employees is expensive, involving recruitment, hiring, and training costs.

·      Civility helps to retain valuable employees, saving the company significant time and money.

 Improves Team Collaboration:

·      Civility builds trust and strengthens relationships among team members.

·      Effective collaboration leads to better problem-solving and innovation.

·      When teams work well together, employees are more likely to feel satisfied with their jobs.

 Fosters a Culture of Respect:

·      A culture of civility promotes inclusivity and diversity.

·      Employees from all backgrounds feel respected and valued, leading to a more harmonious workplace.

·      It also improves psychological safety, which allows for more open communication.

 Decreases Negative Behaviors:

·      Incivility can lead to bullying, harassment, and other negative behaviors. Civil workplaces reduce these behaviors.

·      This leads to a more enjoyable work environment and increases employee retention.

In essence, civility is not just about being polite; it's about creating a workplace where employees feel respected, valued, and supported. This, in turn, leads to higher employee retention and a more successful organization.

Workplace Bullies: Impact on Productivity and Morale

 Workplace bullying is a serious issue that has significant negative impacts on both productivity and morale.

Impact on Productivity:

 ~~> Decreased Focus and Concentration:

   * Victims of bullying often experience high levels of stress and anxiety, which makes it difficult to concentrate on their work.

   * They may spend significant time worrying about the bully, planning how to avoid them, or ruminating on past incidents.

 ~~> Reduced Efficiency:

   * Bullying can lead to a decline in motivation and engagement, resulting in lower work output.

   * Victims may be hesitant to take initiative or contribute ideas, fearing ridicule or sabotage.

~~> Increased Absenteeism and Turnover:

   * The stress and emotional toll of bullying can lead to increased sick leave and a higher likelihood of employees leaving the company.
   * This results in lost productivity and increased costs for recruitment and training.

 ~~> Hindered Collaboration:

   * A toxic work environment created by bullying can damage teamwork and communication.

   * Employees may be reluctant to collaborate or share information, hindering overall team performance.

Impact on Morale:

~~> Lowered Job Satisfaction:

   * Bullying creates a hostile and negative work environment, leading to decreased job satisfaction.

   * Employees may feel undervalued, disrespected, and unsafe.

~~> Increased Stress and Anxiety:

   * Victims of bullying often experience significant emotional distress, including anxiety, depression, and even post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

   * This can have a ripple effect, impacting their personal lives and overall well-being.

~~> Damaged Team Spirit:

   * Bullying can erode trust and create a sense of fear and tension among colleagues.

   * This can lead to a breakdown in team cohesion and a decline in overall morale.

~~> Erosion of Trust in Leadership:

   * If management fails to address bullying, employees may lose trust in their leaders and the organization as a whole.

   * This can lead to a sense of disillusionment and a decline in loyalty.

In essence, workplace bullying creates a toxic environment that undermines employee well-being and organizational effectiveness.

K. H. Little Consulting Services

Kenneth H. Little, MA

KHLittle603@gmail.com

kenlittle-nh.com

Five Steps to Improve Your Morale

 Five  steps to improve personal morale

We all get demoralized now and then.  It can be a real struggle. 

He are five things you can do to keep yourself moving in a constructive direction or to get your self unstick. 

1. Set achievable goals. Breaking down large tasks into smaller, more manageable ones can make you feel more accomplished and motivated.

 2. Focus on your strengths. Identifying and using your strengths can boost your confidence and make you feel more positive about yourself.

 3. Practice self-care. Taking care of your physical and mental health through exercise, healthy eating, and relaxation can improve your overall mood and outlook.

 4. Surround yourself with positive people. Spending time with supportive and encouraging people can help you feel more optimistic and motivated.

 5. Celebrate your successes. Acknowledging and rewarding yourself for your accomplishments, no matter how small, can boost your morale and encourage you to keep going.

K. H. Little Consulting Services

Kenneth H. Little, MA

KHLittle603@gmail.com

kenlittle-nh.com

Nothing Less Than Your Very Best

 

I use to work inside this horribly depressed, angry, agitated company. 

Ironically, it was a mental health facility. 

***

I’ve never seen so many employees return from meetings with a particularly abusive senior manager crying. This is super duper HR fail. It is a super senior management team fail. It is a super leadership fail. And, it is a super big board of directors fail.

But it was not just this one toxic senior manager.  It was the organization as a whole. I’ve never seen so much inter-personnel animosity. I’ve never seen so much wide-spread demoralization anywhere, at any company I’ve ever worked at over my decades of work experience. 

This was quite simply the worst place I have ever worked. 

The senior manager, although super abusive and toxic, wasn’t responsible for the wide-spread demoralization and hostility throughout the company. He certainly was injecting a ton more yuck into the company, but he didn’t touch all of its moving parts. There was a much larger organizational problem. Ironically, he was screaming at people about not meeting productivity requirements.

#Morale matters. Everything floats on morale. Productivity isn’t improved by yelling.  Morale isn’t improved by yelling.  Employee absenteeism, tardiness, and retention are not improved by yelling.  Just the opposite, in fact.

Nothing is improved by yelling. 

At the time, I was navigating a super stressful life adventure. My wife had died (#Cancersucks) and I was raising our young sons by myself. I was so, so far out of my comfort zone and my zone of competence at home every single day for years and years. 

So, what did I do?  I quit after about three years, but before that every morning before going into work, I sat in my car in the parking lot looking at the office building getting my head straight, getting myself psyched up before entering the building. I did the same thing before every rugby game I played in college. I was determined to only bring positive professionalism into the building - my very best. 

My colleagues deserved nothing less than my very best. 

I did the same thing on the way home from work, letting go of the daily stress I’d accumulated and getting my head straight before going into our home. 

My sons deserved nothing less than my very best. 

Of course, I’m a flawed human so … it didn’t always go well, but when it didn’t I’d regroup, consider where I’d gone wrong,  what the contributing factors had been, and create a corrective action plan.

K. H. Little Consulting Services
Kenneth H. Little, MA
cell: (603) 726-1006

kenlittle-nh.com