Healthy workplaces are high performing workplaces that generate better results and have significantly higher levels of team member engagement and customer service.
Creating a healthy workplace requires a strategic and long-term approach. It is not a hodgepodge of skills or one-time seminars.
The commitment to create a healthy workplace must be shared by all leaders and consistent across all leadership levels.
Transparency has the ability to transform employees into operating partners for an organization with much higher levels of ownership and vesting.
Trust and transparency are closely related. Transparent organizations and leaders are more trusted by team members.
Trust your team members with the truth and as much as you can tell them about financial results, customers, meetings and other team members. The more you trust them, the more they will trust you.
Leadership transparency must be balanced with the need to be upbeat and optimistic. Transparency does not grant license to be a fear-based leader or to be an ass.
Focus on Healthy Workplaces-People Centered Leadership
One of the most common predicting elements of a healthy (and successful) workplace is the presence of people centered leaders at all organizational levels. From the C-suited to the first line of supervision.
People are never be viewed or treated as a commodity at healthy workplaces.
People centered leaders are great listeners and prioritize listening to their team members.
People centered leaders provide genuine empathy to team members.
People centered leaders build solid and lasting relationships with team members.
Ethical consistency or ethical congruence is not about ethics and certainly not about morality. It is about the consistent and fair application of policies to all team members.
When team members believe their are dual standards, unfairness, lack of consistent enforcement or favoritism, morale will be substantially harmed.
Avoid making policy exceptions because of who someone is or because they happen to be a favored team member.
Senior leaders especially must be consistent and great role models for this behavior.
Take special care to ensure you are not creating any appearance of impropriety or favoritism.
Focus on Healthy Workplaces-Team Member Self-Esteem Needs
Meeting the self-esteem and ego needs of team members creates a healthy and high performing workplace as well as develops increased performance and engagement.
Making praise, appreciation and recognition a part of the organization’s culture creates sustained health and performance.
Leaders must be committed to consistency in providing appreciation and positive feedback.
Leaders must overcome their own stigmas related to appreciation and praise and not judge the needs of others based on their own needs.
