During my 13-year career as a healthcare leader, I frequently experienced poor employee engagement and toxic workplace cultures. I remember walking through the halls, and people wouldn't look each other in the eyes or say good morning. Employees would gossip and mistreat one another, and the leadership and staff would dread coming into work each day. It chipped away at our self-esteem and job satisfaction. The vibe of these workplaces could be very negative and leave a lot to be desired!
Have you had a similar experience in a past work environment? Or maybe your current one?
Employee engagement and workplace culture truly go hand-in-hand. Depending on the vibe the company has, employees will either be engaged and happy, or there could be issues lurking under the surface that could be upsetting the organization’s ecosystem and causing interpersonal challenges, low productivity, or leadership issues. That is why assessing the organization’s V.I.B.E. provides insights into a company’s culture and can guide leaders to enhance engagement and job satisfaction.
Check the V.I.B.E.
Take a moment and think about what you would like your company’s vibe to be. How would you like it to feel when you walk through the halls or are on a Zoom call with your team? What do you want your experience to be within your organization? After you have answered these questions, begin to “Check the V.I.B.E.” within your teams and across the organization to find out where you may be struggling.
V= Valued
In 2022, a study by OnePoll found that 46% of employees left their positions because they felt undervalued. That is a considerable percentage of people, highlighting why leaders should be focused on building best practices that ensure their employees know they are valued within the company. Focusing on this has tremendous benefits for the organization as well! Employees who feel valued for their contribution show up and stay engaged in their jobs. When employees know they are valued, it can improve employee retention, decrease recruitment costs, and, increase productivity to help achieve your organization’s mission and strategic goals. It can also create a more pleasant work environment when people acknowledge others for their work.
Ask yourself and your staff these questions:
Do you feel the leadership team and organization recognize and appreciate your contributions and efforts?
On a scale from 1 to 10, how valued do you feel by your immediate supervisor or team leader?
What is one thing that leadership can focus on to help ensure everyone in the organization feels valued?
"Cultivating positive interpersonal dynamics takes effort from everyone and commitment from leadership to building healthy human dynamics within the workplace."
I= Interpersonal Dynamics
A CPP study in 2008 found that US companies spent around $359 billion in hours paid when an employee is involved in some workplace conflict. This means that rather than focusing on productivity and goal achievement, they are focused on negative conflicts between others. That is a lot of dough to be spending on interpersonal issues! When people are arguing, being passive-aggressive with one another, or gossiping, there can be a massive loss in work productivity. It also creates a culture that can be incredibly unpleasant to work in!
Cultivating positive interpersonal dynamics requires effort from everyone and the leader demonstrating their commitment to building healthy human dynamics within the workplace by prioritizing it. Leaders can start by helping others develop better communication skills, have a healthy process for conflict resolution, and encourage kindness across the organization. These are only a few ways leaders can promote positive interpersonal relations with others. This can greatly benefit your entire company and uplift every aspect of your business.
Ask yourself and your staff these questions:
Do you have positive relationships with others in the company?
On a scale from 1-10, how would you rate the overall level of trust and respect among team members within your department or workgroup?
Do you feel comfortable communicating openly and honestly with your colleagues and leader?
B= Belonging
A 2019 Harvard Business Review article cited that creating a sense of belonging within a company can be great for business and profits! They found that employees who felt like they belonged within their organization had a 56% increase in job performance and a 75% reduction in sick days. This research has proven that creating a culture of belonging can drastically improve a company's bottom line!
How do we create belonging within an organization?
Belonging is the feeling a person gets when their most authentic self is welcomed by people they interact with. They know their contribution to the organization is respected and integral to the team's success. A deep trust can be cultivated when individuals feel they belong. Leaders who create an atmosphere of mutual respect, speak honestly, allow others to have input in decisions, and create clear and kind accountability structures that increase trust between team members can help to reduce negative turnover. To cultivate belonging, the leader welcomes everyone's voice and will encourage the best in each employee.
Ask yourself and your staff these questions:
Do you feel integral to your team’s success?
How often do you feel included by your leader and teammates during team projects and discussions?
On a scale from 1-10, how much camaraderie is on the team?
E= Empowered
A 2011 article in the Journal of Applied Psychology stated that seven out of ten employees who felt empowered had a 22% increase in productivity, a 41% decrease in absenteeism and were 4.6 times more likely to perform at a high level. Ensuring employees and leaders feel empowered in the workplace is a surefire way to reduce negative turnover and meet goals and initiatives. It involves building a culture of autonomy so people feel capable and trusted to meet the obligations of their position. It helps them stay engaged and care about the organization's success.
Empowerment isn’t an entitlement; it is the gift of trust and encouragement we freely give to our employees and leaders, saying, “I trust that you have everything you need to perform your job well, and we support you and your efforts.” Creating empowered employees can incredibly impact your company’s growth, innovation, and morale.
Ask yourself and your staff these questions:
In what ways do you feel supported to take initiative and make decisions within your role?
Do you have the necessary resources and autonomy to accomplish your tasks effectively?
Do you feel your manager or leader supports and trusts you to do your job well?
The next time you want to investigate the culture of your organization, make sure you –
Check the V.I.B.E.!
Article written by: Kelli Oberndorf, Co-Founder of Ekatā
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