THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
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Coaching Q&A: Creating a healthy and open working environment

Coaching Q&A: Creating a healthy and open  working environment

I cannot confidently say that my new place of work is harmonious even though there is no open quarrel or argument among the people. Neither can I say that this state of affairs will continue to be this way because things may be "simmering" and can soon e

 

 

--Uneasy Feeling
You read it well. Lack of conflict does not necessarily mean a healthy environment. When it appears smooth at the surface, it can mean many things: apathy, lack of commitment, boredom, fear to offend one another or even low self esteem of people who do not want to “rock the boat”, etc. When conflict is not attended to, it can lead to (silent) resentment, lack of cooperation, lack of energy, avoidance of issues, indirect attack (or back biting) and later lead to violence.
The Bottom Line: The situation calls for a “change agent”. You can be the champion of this cause. If possible, get a few accomplices who feel that the current situation needs a change. Meet and discuss with your colleagues on how to create an open environment. Look at major areas in the work environment where this can be done; for instance, at meetings, office communication, everyday dialogue and project work, etc. Agree on what every one of you will do in each of them. Continue to look for more areas where the change of culture can be slowly introduced.     
Powerful Questions: What is the current situation like?  What and where would you like to see changes? How can you be the champion to set up the right kind of office culture?  Who can you rope into this Office Cultural Change Team?  

--TAKING CHARGE TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN  
For almost 10 years now, our group human resource department has played the central role in the recruitment and training of our people in all our subsidiaries.  Despite this, we feel that they are not doing a good job at it. We face long delays in getting vacancies filled up. Even when they are filled, the new recruits are short of the “quality” we are looking for. The consequence of this is falling workplace effectiveness and productivity, thus affecting the results we are looking for.  How can we gear up the human resource department to do a better job in what they are supposed to do?  
--Frustrated  
Like everything in life, total dependence on something or somebody is not healthy. More so when everyone is depending on a single soul, which can be even more dismal. So the same is with your organisation for relying on the HR department to serve your needs!
The Bottom Line: Decentralise the human resource role to the various departments and let them be accountable for their own recruitment of people; with HR only overseeing this activity in terms of coordination and conformance to company’s policies. When line managers are made responsible for this role, they will develop a sense of ownership on the proper handling of people in their departments too. This thus reduces staff turnover, which will lead to greater stability in the workplace. Most of all, doing this will make your line managers become people managers and not just technical managers alone. It is really high time for everyone to be good in people management as this changing world requires organisations to zealously protect their good people from leaving for other organisations who are always on the lookout for them.
Powerful Questions: What is it that you are not satisfied with the role HR is playing now to serve your department’s needs? What are you currently doing about it? What are the results? What do you need to change to ensure that you are getting better results?

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