Tradie HR director Leigh Olsen presents some key workplace behavioural issues that are worth checking to ensure your team stays on track and remains headed in the right direction.
If you were to ask me what’s been a common theme of 2023 so far, I’d say it is that things have been getting blurry. Within our workplaces, there’s so many blurred lines right now around what’s ok behaviour and what’s not ok.
Some team members think it’s ok to keep texting during the team morning meeting as they’ve seen the boss do it time and time again. Others don’t think it’s ok as it’s causing mistakes with jobs because people aren’t hearing the instructions properly and, quite frankly, they find it rude.
Some team members — and bosses — are increasing the amount of funny memes that take the mickey out of each other for poorly completed jobs. These people think it’s a great way to keep up team morale and banter throughout the day.
Yet others don’t. It just takes one meme to hit to the core, and to take a good day and turn it into a really bad one.
Some people think it’s more ok than ever to use swear words to emphasise their instructions on-site. Others don’t, especially when these words are being directed at them.
Over time, these words build up and begin to not only demotivate them but disengage them from their jobs and their enjoyment in their workplace.
These blurred lines of behaviour are increasing, and at Tradie HR we are seeing an increase in workplace investigations as “other” team members are feeling worn down, frustrated and, quite frankly, over it.
Check your boundaries and behaviours
So how do you fix these blurred lines of behaviour and get your teams back on track and heading in the same direction?
You do it by checking your “boundaries” are in place, and that everyone’s behaviours are in line with these boundaries.
Here are some key things that could be worth checking to ensure your workplace is in line right now:
• Check your language:
Remind your teams about what’s ok and what’s not ok when it comes to language being used. Often I’ll have clients say that they’re fine with some swearing as it’s used for banter.
Yet what is banter for you is often not banter for others, and adding in swear words only emphasises this. Plus it gives your team permission to use it in other situations, and it’s these situations that can lead to a workplace investigation.
Take time to remind your team to keep their language respectful of each other. And also being mindful of where you work. Some of my clients do work at schools, community centres and also people’s houses.
• Check your volume:
Shouting is for emergencies and dangerous situations only. If something is going to hit someone on the head, shout. If someone has done a job incorrectly, use your manners and keep your volume at a respectful level.
Shouting puts us into a “flight” or “fright” mode, and if this is a team member’s main way of communicating, then all you’re doing is internally increasing the stress amongst others.
Take time to remind your shouters that it’s not ok to raise their voice, and help those receiving the shouting to stand up to it, and reinforce that they have your support. If they do ask for your support, then make sure you give it!
• Check your manners:
This is one that has been on the increase, yet a really simple one to remind people of — use your manners in the workplace. This includes phones off during meetings, no texting during work time unless it’s a work-related issue, and one person speaking at a time.
It sounds simple, but as soon as your team members see one other person doing it, it quickly becomes acceptable for them. This also applies for you, the boss, because if you text in a meeting then you’ve just unconsciously given everyone else permission to do so.
I have also seen managers arrive late to a meeting, carrying a cup of coffee whilst we’ve been waiting 10 minutes — not a good look, and it damages that person’s personal brand.
• Check your behaviour matches your logo, values and mission statement:
We can all put a lot of money into having a fancy logo and company values displayed on the wall. But as soon as you do that, you’re measured against them through the behaviours that you demonstrate.
Check that you and your team are showing actions on a daily basis that match your logo, values or mission statement. I’ve always said that you can have the fanciest mission statement in the world proudly displaying on the wall, but it’s a complete waste of time if your behaviours don’t match it.
By resetting your boundaries and checking that your behaviours are in line, it means that it’s not a free-for-all in the workplace where people can quite simply do and act how they want.
It means you’re all heading in the same direction and can handle the twists and turns along the way, respecting each other and keeping cool within the rules!
If you find that some things and boundaries are still a little blurry, or you’re nervous about how to deal with those situations, give us a call at Tradie HR to help make a plan, and get some support for you and your team moving forward.
Note: This article is not intended to be a replacement for legal advice.
