How to Prevent a Toxic Culture at the Workplace
As a general rule, happy employees are more productive than those that are weighed down by the negativity that develops in a toxic work environment. Today, employers are becoming more aware of the importance of protecting their employees’ mental health, especially since workers have more options than ever before for opting to go somewhere else.
While your company may strive to maintain a supportive work environment, it doesn’t take much for toxicity to make its way in, especially if you’ve had a new round of new hires or someone who seems to be unwilling to change their behavior enters the group.
At SOLV HR, one of our primary goals is to help every person thrive in a workplace environment that takes into account their need to feel emotionally safe and respected. We encourage you to contact our HR company Las Vegas businesses trust to turn toxic workplaces around at the first sign that negativity is creeping into your team’s work environment.
Watch for the Signs of a Toxic Work Culture
Toxicity in the workplace tends to have a snowball effect. Once one person feels belittled or discriminated against, their unhappiness impacts the other people in their environment.
Being able to recognize the early signs of a toxic workplace environment helps you to start implementing positive changes faster. If you notice any of these situations occurring at your business, then it is time to take action.
- Being notified of frequent illnesses and absences
- Hearing an increase in gossip and rumors
- Noticing a lack of enthusiasm among staff
- Experiencing high turnover rates
- Receiving negative feedback on exit interviews
Prioritize New Hire Training
One of the best ways to stop a toxic work culture from developing is to make it clear that your company values professionalism from the very beginning. New employees tend to be the most receptive to learning more about the company culture during their first couple of weeks of employment. Using these strategies to establish good habits can make a long-lasting first impression.
- Offer shadowing and/or mentoring for the first few shifts
- Create a thorough employee handbook
- Include pertinent information from the handbook in the onboarding process
- Make sure each new hire knows who to go to with their questions or concerns
Focus on Empowering Managers to Handle Conflicts
The next piece in the puzzle for correcting a toxic workplace environment is to go straight to the top. Negativity tends to filter down, which is why you’ll want to empower the management team to not only take prompt action when they see toxic behaviors but also to avoid contributing to them themselves.
Here are a few ways that you can provide more empowerment to your managers:
- Put new managers through conflict resolution training
- Schedule regular meetings to discuss developing issues
- Review the difference between conflicts and harassment and discrimination regularly
- Establish procedures for handling workplace investigations
Encourage Open and Consistent Communication
Keeping the lines of communication open among all levels of your staff helps to alleviate negativity that occurs when someone feels as though their needs are not being heard. Encouraging communication using these tactics can ensure that your management team can also be made aware of developing issues when they are easier to correct.
- Create a schedule for check-in meetings and reviews
- Encourage lower staff levels to provide feedback during manager reviews
- Designate a person to handle employee grievances
- Host regular team building meetings
Implement a Recognition and Reward Plan
A team that celebrates their achievements together is one that will work harder to meet your company’s goals. Make sure to provide your employees with several different forms of recognition and rewards that acknowledge people’s positive contributions to the workplace.
Make sure to keep rewards and recognition plans relevant to your employees’ interests and needs while incorporating some of these possible strategies.
- Offer verbal praise and immediate positive feedback on a job well done
- Give incremental raises based upon both performance and timelines
- Promote from within whenever possible
- Provide incentive trips and other tangible rewards
Find Support for Establishing a Positive Workplace Environment
Unfortunately, even the best hiring and training practices can’t always prevent toxicity from entering your company’s workplace. The good news is that we have everything you need to start turning your employees’ experiences around.
Our HR services Las Vegas business owners and management teams use include training and education experiences such as diversity workshops and conflict coaching that help stop toxic behaviors at every level of your company. Reach out to us today with your questions, and we’ll help you develop a plan that infuses your company with more positivity that drives productivity.
