Workplaces reveal our inner Jekyll and Hyde

The modern-day workplace offers a unique amalgamation of talented individuals working toward a collective goal.

Whether you work for a public or private clinical practice or one of the largest corporations on the planet, your work requires you to collaborate with individuals that you may not choose to spend time with outside of work.

How our teams work with each other is the critical key to organisational success.

At the same time, it’s easy to forget that our colleagues are human. Especially when we are placed in stressful or challenging circumstances, the best and worst elements come to the surface. From the senior management to the newest entry-level hire, we must accept this reality. Not only that, but we must each do our part to positively respond to this volatility and create a work environment that is welcoming for all.

A Collection of Coffee Beans

I think that a great metaphor for this discussion involves coffee beans. Pick up your average bag of coffee beans and you will find a collection of beans in all shapes and sizes. If the beans are strong and agile, they can work together to create something great. On the other hand, if they are hard and tough, problems will likely emerge.

Workplaces are complex systems with these metaphorical "beans" constantly interacting with each other. On the surface, we experience trials and tribulations with our work. We may be trying to overcome a major roadblock on a project or trying to appease a challenging client. Going one level deeper, however, it is possible we are experiencing major stress in our personal lives. In those circumstances, it is almost impossible to keep that stress at home.

Work pressures, interpersonal demands, and workplace culture strains can play a direct role in the future of your organisation. Because of this, it is the role of leaders to reflect on the real status of our organisations’ ecosystems.

We need to ask ourselves questions like,
"Are our teams flourishing or floundering?"
"What is the impact of the current psychological environment?" Also,
"How has Covid-19 affected the workplace climate?"

We need to be honest and take a true audit of our organisation’s inner workings.

From there, make some incremental changes to make your workplace more responsive to how humans really are and how we all interact with each other. As just one example, start every meeting by asking people how they are, both in their work and personal lives – be open to getting to know the person and not just the employee. The changes will depend on your specific organisation, but the important thing is to be bold. Even if the changes initially create a little discomfort, proactive action is better than no action at all.

Creating a More Human Organisation

Gary Hamel, one of the world’s most renowned management consultants, once said, "It’s impossible to build an organisation that’s fit for the future without building one that’s fit for human beings." Human beings can do amazing things. But in order to get that value, we must create an environment where that value can be easily extracted. The great news is that it is possible, so long as we make it a priority. In fact, creating that human-first environment can be the best thing to happen to your organisation.

Therefore, start by asking yourself these questions:

• Are you concerned about the psychological safety of your workplace?

• Are the teams in your vicinity flourishing or floundering

• How has COVID-19 impacted on the workplace climate and how your team functions?

  • Has it been positive or negative?

  • How do you and your colleagues interact?

  • Are you a team or Do you work in silo’s?

And in the meantime, enjoy a good cup of coffee! I'm a latte fan myself. If you'd like to make time for a virtual coffee to discuss what value I can bring to your workplace, please don't hesitate to reach out or find out more about my leadership programs.

To review and book into my public Leadership programs please follow this link.