How Do Leaders Create a Healthier Work Environment?

Do you avoid conflict? Do you back down from strong-willed employees? Do you gossip with your trusted employees? Do you ignore issues until they are full blown?

If you engage in any of these activities, you may be unwittingly contributing to toxicity in your workplace. We’ll discuss these issues and offer suggestions in this article.

At least then you have the majority of your people on board you and can use their influence to face obstacles and do problem solving. The actions you can take include:

• Noting the employees who fit into each of these categories when you need to introduce any change, big or small:
  • Those who want to come on board with new ideas.
  • The individuals who need a little time to think about the change, ask questions, and understand what is expected of them prior to committing their support.
  • The small group who sit on the fence and watch as you implement change and will either say, “I knew that was a good idea” if it succeeds or “I knew that was a lousy idea” if it fails.
  • The final group, I call my OMDBs (over my dead body) who will try and sabotage anything you try and do no matter how collaborative you are or how good the idea is for them and the organization/business.

Acknowledge the Attitude

It is possible to realize that many of your employees have negative (bad) attitudes. You may be wondering why? They may not even be aware that their bad attitude is creating havoc for you and others.

Their attitudes may exist for a number of reasons. They may think:

• This is the way I’ve always been and it has worked for me in the past. These people don’t even realize that they are getting in the way of their own success.
• I am the victim here. They feel that any new idea will disadvantage them and that they don’t have a voice.
• I have no clue how to express my opinions therefore, I’ll just stay quiet and be passive aggressive. These individuals may not know their story or if they know it, they may be afraid to tell it because they have been punished in the past for being honest.
• I can only see the negative. I do not know how to focus on the positive and see myself as part of any solution.
• I am afraid of failure. Therefore, if I don’t try, I can’t fail.

Your ability to create a safe environment, assist your employees to tell their stories, engage in problem solving and really hear their fears is critical to your success.  

It does take time to build up this trust but it is well worth it. They learn that it is okay to be vulnerable. It is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign of strength.

Many employees feel that their skills and knowledge are not acknowledged.

You can overcome the need for office drama by finding each employees strengths, identifying tasks that really engage their creative abilities, and help them feel valued.

When people feel valued and seen their need to create drama drastically decreases.

Be Grateful 

Have you ever been told that you are lucky to have a job these days? I don’t know about you, but I hate that approach. In fact, I don’t even know what that means, or how I am supposed to react to that statement.

Gratefulness arises when we can identify what we are grateful for. Having a job is one idea but it is not the key. The key is being seen, valued, appreciated, and heard.

Dr. Brenda Kelleher-Flight