Avoid a Toxic Workplace in 2019

 2019-01-03

There is nothing worse than having a toxic workplace. Having to go to a place five or more days a week for several hours daily and not wanting to be there for a second can lead to high stress levels and serious detrimental effects for both the people and organization. MSPs may consider themselves to be immune from being able to develop a toxic workplace, but in 2019, it is time to look between the lines and really dig deep into how the team is feeling about working with each other.

Toxicity may develop faster in MSPs which are still new in the game. This is majorly because of how rapidly changing a new workplace can be and how policies and procedures are still being made and implemented. Every manager imagines themselves as being loved, looked up to and a person who would never let toxic relationships to develop among team members. Unfortunately, that is nothing to stop such relationships from forming and hinder overall performance.

You Can’t Fight What You Don’t See

Toxicity in the workplace can be present without management from knowing it. This is more common than most business managers would like to admit. With having full attention diverted towards growing business and running day-to-day operation as efficiently as possible, the business is unaware what is actually going on and how everyone could be ready to just pop out and leave.

You cannot expect human beings to work with the same level of emotion, dedication or in the same way on a daily basis. There will be ups and downs and days where they may need more attention from people in-charge. Overlooking the problem is easy and it takes actual effort to pinpoint the problem. Take the time out to get to know your team on a personal level this time around and see what it is that is bothering them.

Transparency and Clear Communications Are Key

Want to avoid confusion and rumours from spreading in an instant around the workplace? The key to doing that is ensuring good communication and transparency around the workplace. Keep people at all levels involved and make them feel like that they are also a part of the decision making process. It certainly goes a long way in how the team ends up feeling.

Not knowing what could happen tomorrow and what is going on right now gives birth to rumours and issues which spready quickly from one end to another. This sort of a mess could end up costing a company irreparable losses and a damaged reputation from the wrong information leaking out to the outside world.

Policies to Tackle the Situation

There needs to be a neutral and fair policy or set of policies in place to tackle with such issues as soon as they arise. Keep employees who may be the victim safe by ensuring completely anonymity and even consider using third-party services to resolve issues which may occur within the workplace.

Having done that, employees will feel safer and lean more towards focusing on work and developing useful relationships.