HR’s Role in Addressing Workplace Toxicity
A healthy culture is essential to boost job satisfaction, productivity and overall well-being. It influences vital outcomes, including retention rates and revenue. In fact, organizations with robust climates have up to 72% higher employee engagement than companies without, and those engagement rates contribute to greater profitability.
In a positive work environment, staff feel valued, supported and motivated to perform. Conversely, a toxic culture can have detrimental effects, including high turnover, low morale and decreased productivity. When the culture is less than desirable, it takes a team effort to turn the tide and reshape the employee experience for the better.
Over the next three weeks, my colleagues and I will explore the essential roles that three groups play in reinventing the workplace for the better. First, I’ll examine the function of Human Resources (HR) and four important steps these professionals can take to build an affirming atmosphere.
#1 – Identify Early Warning Signs
HR staff, particularly those with a focus on engagement and people operations, are often in a position to identify the leading and lagging indicators of an unhealthy environment. These teams can be the first to spot upticks in complaints and see warning signs in their survey data when shifts begin to occur in employee sentiments.
Ideally, these touchpoints will reveal challenges early enough before the lagging indicators, such as increased burnout, absenteeism and turnover, become prevalent. To stay ahead, it’s essential that HR professionals regularly assess culture. Surveys, focus groups and one-on-one interviews can provide valuable insights into the current and desired state of the business.
Additionally, data analytics can be used to track patterns and trends related to employee behavior, engagement and performance. Reviewing these metrics helps HR pinpoint areas of concern, develop targeted interventions to address them and communicate proactively with staff so they know how the team is addressing their feedback.
#2 – Operationalize Vision and Values
While HR may not always be the ones to define the organization’s guiding principles, they have an opportunity to infuse these core elements of culture into their initiatives. Reminding the workforce of the company’s ambitions and rules of engagement will help to refocus staff on the business’s purpose and intentions.
It begins in the onboarding process by providing staff with information about the norms and mindsets that are celebrated. Team members are more likely to live the company’s stated values when they are given clear policies about how personnel are expected to interact with one another.
Be thoughtful about how these desired behaviors show up throughout the employee experience, including performance management and career development. When staff see that individuals are rewarded when their actions align with the company’s purpose, it will increase their desire to walk the talk and maintain the culture.
#3 – Establish Meaningful Benefits & Recognition Systems
Often, personnel feel overwhelmed or underappreciated in unhealthy environments. To curb these sentiments, HR teams have an opportunity to create impactful total rewards programs that demonstrate the organization’s care and commitment to its people.
Evaluate the benefits packages offered to staff with a particular focus on how it supports their physical, mental, emotional, social and financial well-being. Each of these aspects plays an important role in the engagement of team members.
Similarly building a culture of recognition can cultivate a more motivating atmosphere, where employees feel encouraged to repeat positive, desired behaviors and reduce negativity. I also invite HR teams to consider how they can give individuals more choice over their benefits. Each person will be interested in different forms of recognition and support. By allowing personnel to adjust their benefits packages to reflect their needs, every employee can thrive.
#4 – Create a Sense of Community
Ensuring that team members are aligned with the company’s goals and core tenets is a strong start in building a cohesive community. Additionally, HR professionals may strengthen this sentiment by cultivating experiences that help personnel feel connected and seen.
Regularly scheduled team building activities can break down barriers and promote a sense of unity. The events can be hosted in person, virtually or in a hybrid fashion. Even in workplaces that are separated by oceans – like our own at Emergenetics International – it’s still possible to create bonds through virtual gatherings, coordinated training sessions and messaging platforms or intranets.
To promote connection, I also recommend that HR teams invest in solutions like Emergenetics that help teammates understand their individual and collective strengths and appreciate the distinct gifts they each bring to the business.
Sustain Positive Culture
HR is just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to company climate. Leaders and managers are also instrumental in creating the conditions that allow employees to thrive. For more insights, I invite you to look out for our blog next week, highlighting the role that executives play in reducing workplace toxicity and increasing productivity. Stay tuned!
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