Rudeness on the rise! How to banish bad attitudes in the workplace

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Stressed out is one thing. Downright nasty is another.

Though some employees are able to keep a cool head when tensions mount, others are cracking under the pressure and taking it out on their coworkers. As a result, “workplace incivility” is on the rise, according to researchers at a recent American Psychological Association conference. And what, exactly, is “workplace incivility”? Basically, it’s disrespectful behavior in the form of rudeness, insults and generally crummy manners.

With researchers suggesting that 75 to 80 percent of workers have experienced ugly behavior while on the job, clearly workplace incivility is more than a few, isolated incidents. What about your workplace? If your employees’ stress levels are through the roof, chances are it’s showing in their actions and attitudes. Here’s what you can do to reduce some of that tension, while also encouraging more respectful, responsible behavior:

Confront the irritable individuals. In some cases, the problem may be specific to one or two “Sour Sallies” or “Cranky Carls.” Like with any other behavioral or performance issue, it’s up to the manager or supervisor to point out the problem and set expectations for change. If the employee is normally pleasant and productive, take a more sympathetic stance and try to get to the bottom of the matter. What can’t be tolerated, however, is if the employee is mistreating others to the point of harassment. This type of conduct needs to be addressed swiftly and thoroughly.

Allow telecommuting and other flexible options. Loosening the reins on a rigid work structure can make a big dent in employee attitudes. Consider letting employees telecommute, work a compressed workweek or leave early one day a week (if they’re meeting their obligations otherwise). Not only will most employees appreciate having to spend less money in gas every week, but they’ll also feel more productive and less burned out.

Extend more “thank yous” and compliments. When raises and other perks aren’t possible due to tough economic times, it is imperative that leaders and managers ramp up their recognition efforts. Heartfelt words of praise and encouragement have a way of immediately lifting spirits. Look for ways to call out a job well done, whether it’s submitting an error-free report, staying on task with a high-profile project or working well with others on a team initiative.  And remember: Though it’s great to recognize the “big wins,” it’s also important to call attention to the smaller, everyday achievements. Tune into the “quieter” contributions that still make a difference in the business.

Roll out an employee wellness program.It’s widely recognized that regular exercise improves health and reduces stress. Even better, healthier employees make fewer trips to the doctor, reducing medical costs and insurance rates. Some idea to get employees moving: Organize a weekly walking program, offer mid-day yoga or meditation in a large meeting room, or arrange a deal with a local gym for discounted employee memberships.

Foster a more positive work environment. Is your corporate culture tired and draining, or vibrant and energizing? It starts with your leaders and managers and trickles down from there. What messages are they sending regarding the business and the role employees play in the company’s ongoing success? Especially during trying times, employees need to be kept informed and to know that “we’re all in this together.”

For other ways to boost corporate culture, display inspirational and motivational posters throughout the building, introduce team-building or motivational games as a part of staff meetings, and provide occasional social events on company time to strengthen camaraderie among employees and management.

Rudeness on the rise! How to banish bad attitudes in the workplace

Nobody wins in the 'blame game'

Walk down the hall or into a meeting room right now and you’re bound to overhear an employee blaming someone (or something) else - whether it’s a coworker, a boss, a client, the weather or a bout of stomach flu – for his work falling short or a project hitting a snag. It’s most certainly not the fault of the person doing the finger pointing, and he’ll do everything in his power to convince you of that.

It’s called “passing the buck,” and in workplaces where this is the norm, it’s a huge drain on creativity and performance. Plus, it appears to be contagious.

In a study at Stanford University, researchers asked 100 participants to read a news clip outlining a politician’s failure, where one group’s article had the politician blaming special interest groups for the mishap and the other group’s article had the politician taking full ownership of the failure. Then, the participants were instructed to write about a failure of their own, and what they think caused it.

The results? Participants who read about the politician blaming others were twice as likely as the other participants to blame someone else for their own shortcomings.

Before this study, researchers had a good idea about who does the blaming, and why. Pessimists blame more than optimists (“The glass is half empty, and it’s your fault”) and narcissists are more likely to shirk responsibility for their mistakes (“I’m so great, I don’t mess up”). And the biggest reason we blame others? To protect our self-image.

Now researchers also know that finger-pointing is catchy, which is detrimental in any social setting, the workplace included. They know, too, that while a blamer is busily guarding her self-image by shining a spotlight on others, she’s paying a price.

"When an individual is always pointing to external reasons for your mistakes you won't learn from those mistakes, so it hinders your ability to learn and become more effective," said study team member Nathanael Fast, of the Department of Management and Organization at the University of Southern California. msnbc.msn.com

So what can you do to keep your company from turning into a bunch of finger-pointing whiners who throw everyone else under the bus? It starts at the top.

"If you're a leader, don't blame other people, at least not publicly. You might want to offer praise in public, but if you have to blame someone, do it in private,” says Fast.

It’s a matter of accountability, too. By taking responsibility for their own mistakes, managers and leaders can serve as positive role models. There’s nothing wrong with admitting that you struggled with a particular aspect of a work project, or that you made an outright mistake – as long as you close the loop by fixing the problem, or seek the help you need to resolve the issue.

The real mistake is blaming others – and sending the message that it’s OK to do so.

Nobody wins in the 'blame game'

Small businesses report steady or improved morale, despite recession

A new workplace survey suggests that efforts by small businesses to maintain employee morale throughout the recession are paying off.

More small businesses believe that employees’ work environment has more impact on job satisfaction than financial factors like benefits or compensation, according to the TriNet quarterly HR Trends Survey.

More than 75% of the 250 small businesses surveyed said employee morale has held steady or improved during the second quarter. Another 41% believed that employee morale in their companies has remained unchanged from a year ago. More than one-third (34%) felt that employee morale in their organizations improved during the past year.

Survey respondents cited company culture and reputation as the top contributor (36%) to employee morale, followed by flexibility and work/life balance (23%) and job security (22%). The bottom of the list included advancement opportunities (4%), benefits (5%), or compensation (9%).

Well over half of employees (60%) said their employer successfully built and maintained a positive employment brand through good communication and quality management practices.

“These results prove that employees are happier and more likely to stay with their companies due to the quality of their management,” said Burton M. Goldfield, president and CEO of TriNet. “Companies that develop the skills of their leaders boost employee morale, which then positively contributes to the company’s overall employment brand.”

How do you think the recession has impacted employee morale at your company? Over the past year, has it improved, remained steady or declined? Please leave a comment and let us know how your organization is handling it.

Small businesses report steady or improved morale, despite recession

Employees putting your data security at risk?

Odds are good that they are, according to the latest research.

More employees are ignoring data security policies and engaging in online activities that could put their employer at risk, according to a survey released by Ponemon Institute. Even more worrisome is knowing that they’re doing it even if they understand it’s wrong.

The top data security offenses include copying secure data to USB drives or disabling security settings on mobile devices like laptops. Some employees admit to losing USB sticks that stored confidential corporate data, but failed to report it to the company immediately, the report said.

Almost 31% of employees surveyed said they also engaged in social-networking activities from work computers. More than half (53%) said they downloaded personal software on company computers, heightening the risk of infecting the corporate network with malicious software.

Mobile technologies that let employees do more while on the road are contributing to the issue, said Larry Ponemon, chairman and founder of Ponemon Institute, in a blog entry. As the use of mobile devices grows, the inability to enforce data security policies could increase the possibility of data breaches. "I'm seeing a confluence of conditions that appear to be contributing to this challenge to data integrity," he said. (PC World)

Negligent online activity puts not only data security at risk, but could also be putting the company’s reputation in a vulnerable position. Remember the Domino’s incident?

About 60% of corporate executives feel they have the right to know how employees portray themselves and their organizations in online social networks, according to the Deloitte LLP Ethics & Workplace survey. However, most employees (53%) say their activity on social networks should be none of their employers’ business.

Whether it’s your data security or corporate reputation you’re looking to protect, having a sound social media policy is your first line of defense. We’re all adults here, but once in a while we all need a friendly reminder of what it means to be responsible online.

Social media policies will differ from company to company, but they all share a few key points: understanding what unacceptable online behavior is, being mindful of the business’ image, using good judgement and knowing that employees represent of the company.

For more help on developing a social media policy, read these past posts:

Bosses concerned over employees’ online behavior, employees say “butt out”

Domino’s employees fired, charged after “gross” video goes viral

The impact of social media on corporate culture

Dangers of using social networking sites to screen applicants

Employees putting your data security at risk?

Corporate giving, it’s never too late to start

Though there’s only a few weeks left until the year is over, it’s never too late to start a corporate giving program. Even during tough times, evidence shows that philanthropy is a solid business investment.

In a 2007 survey of corporate executives by the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship, 61% said corporate citizenship makes a “tangible contribution to their company’s bottom line.” In nine out of ten industrial sectors, corporate philanthropy had a positive impact on corporate revenue, according to a study presented at the 2004 meeting of the International Communication Association.

There’s no time like the present to put together a corporate giving program and make a difference in the community. If you want to give back before the year is up, you only have a few weeks left to get going. Start with these simple ideas for corporate giving:

• Organize a canned food drive. Have everyone in the office bring in canned goods to be donated to a local food bank. Encourage more employees to give by providing an incentive such as a day to dress-down at the office. Visit Feeding America to find a food bank in your area.


• Give employees a day to volunteer. Allowing employees to volunteer on the company’s time shows goodwill and improves employee morale. Pay it forward and give employees a day to give their time to a local charitable cause.


• Hold a bake sale. Have everyone in the office bake their favorite holiday treat and bring it in for a company bake sale. Donate the proceeds to a local charity.


• Put leftovers to good use. Once you’ve sent happy holiday wishes to employees and customers, take your leftover company Christmas cards and put them to good use. There’s a number of ways to repurpose your business holiday cards, including sending a card to a wounded soldier, sick child or to a neighbor in need. Read this article for a full list of ideas.


• Sponsor a clothing drive. A clothing drive is a great way to give back to community members in need and also help employees clean out cluttered closets. Donate clothing to nonprofit organizations like Goodwill, the Salvation Army or a local homeless shelter.

Few things say “Happy Holidays” better than a charitable donation. Foster employee teamwork and show your corporate goodwill by giving back to the community during the holiday season and throughout the year.

Corporate giving, it’s never too late to start

Statistics show workplace injury and illness down

The rate of workplace injuries and illness in private industry in 2007 declined for the sixth consecutive year, according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Nonfatal workplace injuries and illness in the private industry have declined 4.5 percent over the past year.

Over the past six years workplace injuries and illnesses have declined 21 percent. The shrinking statistic shows how effective targeted enforcement along with prevention methods, such as compliance assistance, have worked together to promote a culture focused on workplace safety, according to Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao in a press release.

"Today's injury and illness results demonstrate that OSHA's balanced approach to workplace safety encompassing education, training, information sharing, inspection, regulation and aggressive enforcement is achieving significant reductions in workplace injury and illness throughout the country.

This report shows that employees are now safer in the workplace than ever before. This success validates our efforts, and we are redoubling this commitment to make workplaces even safer," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Edwin G. Foulke Jr.

Key findings of the 2007 Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illness:

• The total recordable case injury and illness incidence rate was highest among mid-size establishments (those employing between 50 and 249 workers) and lowest among small establishments (those employing fewer than 11 workers).
• General medical and surgical hospitals (NAICS 6221) reported more injuries and illnesses than any other industry in 2007—more than 253,500 cases.
• The total recordable case injury and illness incidence rates declined among 5 of the 19 private industry sectors—Agriculture, forestry, fishing & hunting; Mining; Construction; Manufacturing; and Health care and social assistance—in 2007 and remained statistically unchanged in the remaining 14 industry sectors.
• Incidence rates and numbers of cases for injuries and illnesses combined declined significantly in 2007 for several case types: total recordable cases; cases with days away from work, job transfer or restriction; cases with days away from work; and cases with job transfer or restriction.

Read the full study at bls.gov.

Statistics show workplace injury and illness down

Remodeling morale at Home Depot

In the midst of a struggling economy, home improvement giant Home Depot is remodeling from the inside out, with employee morale and sense of ownership at the top of their “fix-it” list. HR chief Tim Crow has his hands full renovating training programs, expanding cash bonuses and increasing employee/customer face time.

In a recent Q & A with Workforce Management, Crow talked about the difficulties Home Depot has had to face while the country suffers through the “weakest housing market in more than 25 years.” This year company profits fell over 60%, forcing the company to halt expansion plans and close stores, impacting the lives of 1,300 employees.

While the company and country struggle financially, Crow has kept his focus on creating a sense of ownership among employees, improving employee product knowledge and strategically using rewards and recognition programs to revitalize morale.

Home Depot’s morale building strategies include:

Success Sharing. If stores make their sales goals, everyone gets a cash bonus. In 2007, Success Sharing bonuses totaled $63 million.

Homer Badges. Badges, named after the company mascot, to recognize store associates for living the company’s values. If employees earn three badges, they get a cash bonus.

Aprons on the Floor. An company-wide initiative encouraging employees to find new ways to cut costs so Home Depot can spend more on staffing. The company cut its HR staff by more than half, with four HR managers overseeing 6 to 10 stores each.

Read the complete Workforce article on how Home Depot is keeping training and employee morale high priorities during tough economic times.

Remodeling morale at Home Depot

Build employee loyalty with open communication

Employee loyalty is built with open communication, not with monetary rewards like raises, according to the latest Management Action Programs Inc. (MAP) Quarterly CEO Survey.

Open communication, employee recognition and involving personnel in decision making are the top three qualities people value most in a company, according to the MAP survey.

“Clearly, a work environment where employees are recognized as part of the team is more valuable than simply receiving a paycheck,” said to Lee Froschheiser, president and CEO of MAP, in a press release.

The survey revealed “open communication between management and employees” is the number one factor contributing to employee loyalty. Open communication was mentioned almost twice as frequently as “receiving raises.”

The most perceptive business leaders realize the enormous value of motivating employees in non-monetary ways, according to Froschheiser.

“Most of all, clearly communicating the company's vision and mission, as well as making employees feel they're playing an important role in the business' overall success are among these CEO's top employee-retention strategies,” Froshchheiser said.

Effective communication can contribute to a company’s profitability according to the recently released Communication ROI Study by Watson Wyatt.

Companies with the most effective communication programs had a 47% higher total return to shareholders from 2002 to 2006, compared to companies that communicate least effectively.

Those companies with effective communication are four times as likely to report high levels of employee engagement as compared to those with less effective communication.

The Watson Wyatt study identified that the highest-performing companies:

• Focused managers and employees on customer needs.
• Engaged employees in running the business.
• Helped managers communicate more effectively.
• Utilized the communication talents of internal communicators to manage change effectively.
• Measured the impact of employee communication.
• Branded the employee experience.

Build employee loyalty with open communication

Employees agree diversity is key to success, but still needs work

While most employees believe that a diverse workforce contributes to the success of their organization, many have experienced some form of workplace discrimination and feel that their employers publicize diversity more than it’s actually implemented.

The majority of workers (61 percent) agree that having a diverse workforce makes their organization more successful, but almost half of all employees (47 percent) have felt discriminated against at the office, citing age as the top form of workplace discrimination. The findings are from Workplace Insights, a survey conducted by Adecco USA, which took a close look at how Americans think about diversity in the workplace.

Age discrimination was the top reported form of workplace discrimination (52 percent), followed by gender (43 percent), race (32 percent), religious (9 percent) and disability (7 percent).

American workers are skeptic when it comes to their company’s diversity initiatives, with the vast majority (78 percent) of workers feeling that companies talk more about having a diverse workforce more than they practice it.

With true diversity, Americans feel like they would get more done at work. The majority (53 percent) believe that the more diverse their workforce is, the more productive they would become.

Most American workers reported that having a diverse workforce is a top priority for their employer, but only one-third believe that corporate America has achieved total workplace diversity.

To better the workforce outlook, Adecco suggested that top executives make commitment to diversity their top priority. Companies looking to strengthen their diverse workforce should gain commitment from senior managers, engage employees in the process, support local diversity groups, provide diversity training and promote open lines of communication.

Read the full Adecco press release.

Employees agree diversity is key to success, but still needs work

Trend watch: Sleeping at work

Ever catch someone nodding off in a meeting or “resting their eyes” at their desk? Studies reveal that many people struggle to stay alert at work and it may be a growing problem.

One-third of people have fallen asleep or become sleepy at work in the past month, according to findings from the National Sleep Foundation’s annual “Sleep in America” poll.

The poll also found that Americans are working more and sleeping less. On average, people sleep six hours and 40 minutes and work for an average of nine hours and 28 minutes.

Sleeping or tiredness at work is accountable for $100 billion in lost productivity, health care costs and employee absences.

Our nation is highly sleep deprived, according to Rubin Naiman, a sleep specialist interviewed for a recent CNN article. He added that most people need at least seven to nine hours of sleep a night for optimal health.

Some companies are tackling the problem by installing “nap rooms” for employees. Just how some office design features can boost creativity, nap and break rooms can help recharge employees’ batteries. Napping can help increase your alertness, especially in the afternoon when concentration is low.

Maureen Lippe, founder of New York public relations agency Lippe Taylor, has three nap rooms for employees, one on each floor of the building. She has been known to take a nap in one of the “serenity rooms” from time to time. The room, filled with large sofas, blankets and comfortable chairs, makes it difficult not take a quick break.

If you’ve been catching more employees falling asleep at meetings or sneaking out to their car for a quick snooze, a “serenity room” may not be such a bad idea. Here’s to a happy Friday and happy napping!

Trend watch: Sleeping at work

Work/life balance: Key to employee retention

Implementing flexible employee work schedules to foster a healthy work/life balance can be a nerve-wracking and seemingly unattainable goal to achieve. Through experimentation and a little trial and error, many companies have discovered how to retain employees by allowing flexible schedules.

“Inflexible work arrangements are a primary reason top talent leaves an organization.”

The top priority of most organizations is to attract top performers. After bringing them onboard, the real challenge is retaining those bright stars.

An article published last month out of Workforce Management looked at a few recent surveys indicating more employees are actively searching for better work/life benefits.

A 2005 Merrill Lynch survey showed that 16% of the baby boomer workforce was looking for part-time work, and 42% would only sign up for a job that allowed time off for leisure.

Another Pew Research Center survey from 2007 found that more than 50% of working mothers prefer part-time work, as a way to fulfill domestic responsibilities while also contributing to the family income.

Younger workers are also looking for companies that value work/life benefits. Unlike their older counterparts, Gen Y and the Millennials refuse to sacrifice family and leisure for their careers.

The article notes that implementing flexible work arrangements can be difficult, but it is possible. It may be as little as allowing time off for doctor appointments and school visits, or as much as telecommuting a few days out of the workweek.

The Workforce authors surveyed six firms to uncover how they are successfully applying flexible work arrangements.

Here are some of their key findings on the most important factors that contribute to the success of implementing flexible work arrangements at any company:

Alternative work arrangements must make sense for your organization. Not every position or company is suited for flexible schedules. It also depends on the individual, some personalities just can’t handle it. Be sure that flexible schedules will work for specific positions and people before implementing anything.

Remember that the goal of flexible work arrangements is employee retention. “If you want high levels of employee satisfaction, your organization needs to recognize the overlap between life and work.”

Keep communication lines open. “Successful implementation of flexible work arrangements takes a commitment to communication.” Commit to an open and honest line of communication with any flexible employee.

Ensure employees have the tools to succeed. Depending on the type of work, employees may need tools like laptops, cell phones or PDAs to stay in touch and do their jobs effectively. Managers and employees should set clear expectations of how and when an employee can be reached, and also allow for downtime.

Allow for an adjustment period. Self-management can be tough for some employees and may take time to learn. “It takes about three years to adjust for a flexible work arrangement. You need to learn what you should and should not be doing by going through it.”

Put all judgement aside. Working a flexible schedule is not “wrong” or a reflection of the employees dedication to the company. Flexible work arrangements should be considered “without judging the employee’s personal priorities.”

Success depends on employee satisfaction. According to one company surveyed, “for its company to succeed, their people need to succeed - not just at work, but in all areas of their lives.”

“Success takes time and experimentation,” especially when implementing a band new program involving flexible work arrangements. Managers must listen to their employees to determine what is working and what may need to be adjusted, until the program finds success.

Work/life balance: Key to employee retention

Five ways Gen Y will change the corporate world

Generation Y is leaving their messy college apartments behind and are entering the corporate world. To this new generation of workers, the corporate system is as outdated as dial-up Internet and they have big plans to change the workplace for the better.

After watching their parents overwork themselves to the brink of exhaustion and older siblings struggle with Baby Boomer bosses, Gen Y is ready to take on the workplace and mold it into what they want from it.

How will they manage this seemingly enormous task? A recent post at Employee Evolution, written by a savvy Gen Yer, explains exactly how they’ll do it. Here are some of the most insightful ways they plan on taking on the business world:

1. Meetings will be productive and held only when absolutely necessary. “Efficiency is the name of the game with Gen Y.” Factors of an effective meeting: less than 30 minutes, everyone in the room gets on the same page and it encourages people to get work done.

2. A shorter work day where more is accomplished. Gen Y wants to get the most done in the least amount of time and then get out of the office. Work/life balance is a serious issue with this generation and they will stop at nothing to keep it in tact.

3. Administrative assistants return. Gen Y does not like to waste time addressing envelopes, filling out spreadsheets and filing papers. Give that task to someone else and let them do their job. Worried about the cost? Not Gen Y, they’ll pay the extra money to make it happen.

4. Traditional retirements will vanish. Gen Y does not want to waste their youth sitting behind a desk working themselves to death like past generations may have. They want to use this time to explore what life has to offer, not wait until they’re too old to enjoy it. They’ll figure out how to put away enough money in their 401(k)s while also making time for “mini-retirements.”

5. Say goodbye to performance reviews. Gen Y desires constant feedback and communication. Waiting for a semi-annual performance review just won’t cut it for this generation. Managers will have to learn how to provide constant and ongoing feedback to keep these employees happy.

Gen Y won’t be flipping the corporate world on its head all at once, but rather piece by piece. By the time they make it to upper management, Gen Y plans wants work to be a part of their lives, not something that gets in the way.

Five ways Gen Y will change the corporate world

The impact of social media on corporate culture

In a recent post, Rob Paterson at the FASTforward Blog did a mini case study on how one company is successfully using the social networking tool Twitter in their corporate environment. It opens up new ideas of how strong the impact of social media on corporate culture will be, especially with more Gen Y and Millennial employees taking their place in the corporate world.

Zappos is an online shoe retailer that expects to bring in more than $1 billion this year. The company touts it’s success on superior customer service - promising free, four-day delivery, free returns and an outstanding call center where customers get through to a real person on the first try.

More than 300 Zappos employees use Twitter to let friends, colleagues and customers know what they’re doing at any given time in the day. This informal and immediate conversation benefits the company culture by keeping employees connected and promoting collaboration.

For those out there who missed the bandwagon - Twitter is an online, social networking tool where users update their status by answering one question (“What are you doing?”) in 140 characters or less. Tweets, as they’re called, can be made online or by text message for those employees on the go.

Take a quick look at Zappos’ Twitter page and you can find customers raving about the new boots that just arrived and the “Grt cust svc” they experienced. You’ll also find employees discussing treats outside the lunchroom and recent NPR features about the company.

Zappos also keeps a running “Inside Zappos Blog” to keep employees and customers updated on the happenings inside the company. Yesterday’s post, “Happy Birthday & Happy Graduation Young Squire,” is a congratulations to a young graphic designer for passing his New Hire Training test and his birthday, complete with a toilet-papered working area.

Other large companies, like T. Rowe Price and Best Buy have incorporated various Web 2.0 tools in their daily routines.

During each tax season, T. Rowe Price hires 1,500 workers who all go through an extensive training program. The trainers transferred the entire training program to a wiki where employees can add notes, comments and recommendations. The company estimates they save millions in wasted call time.

Best Buy created the Blue Shirt Nation (BSN), a secure and private social networking site for more than 100,000 of their employees. The company adopted the site as a way to engage employees to share new ideas that could improve the business. “In general, they talk about how to make Best Buy a better place. Improve on the things we don't do well, share the things that we do do well, talk about and express the culture that we have, talk about customers- both good and bad,” said founder and sponsor Gary Koelling.

Generation Y and the Millenials are making their way into the corporate world and bringing along all of their favorite social networking sites. Keeping these young employees engaged and connected is not tough ... if you’re using the right tools.

The impact of social media on corporate culture