Five obstacles that stand in the way of a great workplace,
and how to overcome them all.
Every person desires a great workplace, an environment that
is conducive to collaboration, teamwork and having fun. The following five
issues are prominent in the workplace, but there are solutions to each. In order for any change to be made, the
pursuit of greatness must first become a priority, for both employees and
managers.
1.
I don’t have time.
Even though the problem may seem complicated,
as in we cannot have 25 hours in a day, the solution to lack of time can be
quite simple. Leverage the systems you already have in place for change. One approach could be eating lunch with one
team member a day, or even the whole team, in order to get to know each other
as people, not just a coworker. Another easy way is leaving ten minutes of
every staff meeting to have an open discussion.
Let every person have their say.
2.
My workplace is different. “I’m all for it, but
this would never work in my industry”
Many issues are not as unique to the
industry as we might think. Striving to
maintain excellence in night shift employees is as universal as anything. It
doesn't matter if you are in a manufacturing facility or at a suit-and-tie desk
job, a great workplace is desired by all.
3.
It’s not the right time.
Change is never totally enjoyable, and
presents its challenges. However, a
disruptive event can be the perfect catalyst for another important factor;
trust. Engaging employees in
trust-building practices during the large change can create a sense of
community, maintain sense and purpose, as well as promote safety and support throughout
the process. Research shows that when
leaders take time to build trusting relationships with employees, it enables
those employees to embrace changes faster.
4.
My employees are the problem.
Understanding a pattern of behavior,
whether good or bad, is crucial to fostering a great workplace. There are many factors that encourage
employee behavior, from family and life situations to job roles and
responsibilities. When an employee does
something once, it a fluke, twice is a coincidence and three times is a
pattern. Understand behaviors before
setting goals is crucial.
5.
My boss isn't on board.
Even though you have the vision of a great
workplace, unfortunately lack of leadership buy-in to the plan can be a
formidable obstacle. If you have the
desire, you can have the ability to build trust-based relationships with
employees. Reaching out can build trust, pride and camaraderie. Stay focused on things that you can
influence, and in time, your sphere of influence will increase and open doors
that were once closed.
