Us vs. Them Work Culture Is Holding You Back
No matter what your politics are, most people will agree that there is an Us vs. Them attitude invading our lives. The news is full of stories that show lack of cooperation, unaccountability, trust issues and poor communication. This attitude is repeatedly permeating our personal interactions and, in many companies, our workplace.
According to surveys, it is clear that a lot of employees are unhappy at work. Mistrust, fear, dissatisfaction with opportunity, lack of recognition, unfair policies, salaries and poor management all contribute to the reasons for high turnover. And for those employees who do stick it out, employers will receive less than stellar performance.
There are a lot of scenarios for Us vs Them in the workplace. Here are some of the most common issues that create this attitude:
- Gender
- Race
- Age
- Seniority
- Politics
- Education
- Management
- Competitors
- Customers
- Uneven workloads
Why should companies be worried about this?
Us vs Them is not just one of those inevitable issues that management can put off or ignore. It affects the bottom line in the short and long term by absenteeism, increased burnout, turnover, stress, under-performance and more workplace-related mental health issues like depression or anxiety.
What can you do?
If you think providing some goodies and perks will solve the problem, it won’t. At best, it would be a temporary, feel-good fix. The problem is more deeply rooted than that. According to a survey by www.mentalhealthamerica.net, 83% of people surveyed felt that companies had not appropriately dealt with coworkers who did not do their jobs. That is a clear indication of how employees feel about what is unfair. 77% felt they were not recognized for their experience and skills while their peers received recognition they didn’t deserve. These numbers may not reflect the actual reality, but when employees have this perception, the work culture is definitely going to suffer.
Successful companies with winning teams work hard to create an open and safe environment for their employees that is agile and purpose-driven. This won’t happen in a workplace with fear, distrust and anger. Get rid of the Us vs Them and your company can increase good mental health, customer-focused behaviors and employees that are enthusiastically engaged.
How can management change?
Management can dig deeper into the issues by encouraging employees to give honest feedback in a safe environment. Avoid making any assumptions and ask employees a lot of questions. Find out what wastes time and how tasks can be updated by talking to those who actually do those tasks. Use better ways to measure individual’s productivity and make sure recognition is accurate. Encourage employees who are invested in learning and go the extra mile for your customers. Managers are already busy and may be tempted to take shortcuts on these “feel good” issues. After all, the tasks got done, right? Don’t get caught in that short-term thinking because it isn’t sustainable.
Hiring the right candidate will help you prevent the Us vs Them attitude.
Using a professional CRA (Consumer Reporting Agency) for your pre-employment or vendor screening services will save you time and money. For a free consultation or more information, contact Genesis Background Screening Services at 866 944-0041 ext 101. Online, you can email or visit www.genesisbackgroundscreening.com. You can sign up to be emailed whenever we post a new blog at https://genesisbackgroundscreening.com/blog/
Genesis Background Screening is not a law firm and provides our blogs for informational purposes only. Blog is not a substitute for experienced legal advice. Research laws or regulations mentioned in our blogs and ask your legal counsel any questions you have to be sure your organization is within the law and compliant with regulations.
Jacqueline McClure
Genesis Background Screening Services
