Executives rank pretty low in respectability ratings largely due to reports of scandal, greed, and fraud that have become almost daily news items. Perhaps if more historians profiled business leaders and CEOs the way Steve Jobs has been profiled, many of them would adjust their leadership styles to consider their legacies. Read the full article at the New York Times.
Is Your Corporate Culture a Ticking Time Bomb?
Corporate cultures that discourage employees from reporting wrongdoing are ticking time bombs. Situations like the Volkswagen scandal should be keeping senior executives up at night – what if there are legal and ethical breaches in their organizations that they’re not aware of? What if the employees in the know are too afraid to bring issues to their attention for fear of retaliation? Questions like these prove that creating a psychologically healthy workplace isn’t just in the best interest of employees – it’s another form of risk-management for CEOs who want to avoid becoming the next VW. Whistle blowers will only feel comfortable coming forward with essential information if the workplace culture is based on trust and encouragement. Here are two great reads on the VW scandal: Volkswagen says Whistle-Blower Pushed It to Admit Broader Cheating and VW Lost its Moral Compass in the Quest for Growth.
The Perilous Plight of Middle Managers
Middle managers and supervisors often have the worst lot in corporate life: they have no real control over decisions, and are separated from the productive ends of their companies. They are more prone to anxiety and depression, according to a new study by the Sociology of Health & Illness journal. Middle managers were over 5% more likely to develop depression, and over 6% more likely to have work-related anxiety than their bosses and their workers. When middle managers are stressed, their strain can be passed down to the people they manage. Read more here.
"At Stanford, Relationship Reveals Accusations of Discrimination"
This situation at Stanford is evocative of several larger issues at play in the workplace that can lead to psychologically unsafe environments, such as gender, race, and personal relationships. Bullying comes in many different forms, and the stress of having to work with an estranged spouse, or that estranged spouse’s new partner, can be one of those forms when taken advantage of by someone in a position of power. Read more on this story here.
"Army to Settle With Whistle-Blowing Hospital Worker at Fort Bragg"
This is a clear example of an aggressive, hostile approach being held by management towards employees. However, it also points to a larger trend: companies that punish their employees are also more likely to give horrible service to their customers, in this case, United States active-duty service members in need of medical care. Read more about this case here.
"The Impact of Workplace Bullying"
A staggering 80% of people feel they are in an “unhelpful or hostile work environment,” according to Mental Health America. I spoke with Rex Huppke at the Chicago Tribune about how pervasive workplace bullying is, and how it is often an ingrained part of company culture itself. The only way to get employees to trust their HR departments enough to share their experiences is to create trustworthy corporate cultures. Read the full piece here.
"Getting it Right: Pay Attention to the Mundane Things of Business Life"
Employees’ confidence in their employers is at a record low. It is no wonder that over 70 percent of North American workers are disengaged (according to Gallup Polling). The quality of leadership in the workplace directly affects those being led.
Read more at The Economist.
My response to "Workplace bullying may increase risk of suicidal thoughts"
Because of the stigma associated with suicide, the statistics may not reflect the magnitude of this problem, as often the deaths are not reported as such. An example of this: I gave a talk on bullying in the workplace and a man came up to me and asked if he could give me a call. He said what I described in my talk was exactly what his wife was going through. They both assumed it just came with the territory and there was nothing that they could do about it. Ten days later he called me, in tears. He told me that his wife committed suicide two days earlier. In deference to her memory, and other members of the family, her death was labeled "died suddenly.” Now when I look at the obituaries and notice the term "died suddenly" and it is a premature death - it gives rise to the question.
Read the article I am commenting on here.
"Why Millennials Keep Dumping You: An Open Letter to Management" by Lisa Earle McLeod
To be competitive in the future, companies must change their culture in order to keep what is their most valuable resource: their employees.
Read more here:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-millennials-keep-dumping-you-open-letter-lisa-earle-mcleod
Response to "To Get More Out of Workers, Invest More in Them"
My research shows that the biggest cause of unnecessary stress, and therefore disengagement in the workplace, is a fear of losing a job due to arbitrary or subjectivity and unfairness in performance or determination in terminations. This is a great example of how an organization can minimize the negative impact of downturns. This article reminded me of the 2014 Gallup Survey, which indicated that more than 70 percent of American workers are not engaged. My bet is that, at Barry-Wehmiller companies, more than 70 percent ARE engaged. They don’t pay above average wages or provide profit sharing…but they do provide security.
Click here to read the NY Times article I am responding to.