10 things that poison workplaces

From Covid onwards the revolution of smart working now seems to have become part of the DNA of Italian companies and with it also the concept of flexibility. Millenials and Gen Z have reiterated and testified several times: having more autonomy, more self-management and in general a hybrid work formula that ensures a balance with private life and extra-work passions is vital. If they don’t find this magic formula, they leave to look for companies that have these characteristics. The data says it all: young talents are more inclined to change jobs frequently, until they find the ideal one.

Intentions that emerge from numerous insights, such as the recent one Best Workplaces for Millennials 2022 Report conducted on a sample of 16,453 employees of companies belonging to the Millennial generation from Great place to work, an organizational consulting firm that analyzes work environments. But there is not only flexibility among the things most desired by the new generations. There is a healthy working ecosystem from a psychological point of view where meritocracy, the absence of favoritism and ethical behavior on the part of management and the possibility of working while having fun are now attractive factors for Millennial workers who, in some cases , may be up to 24% happier going to work than those exercising in a work environment where the above elements are not prioritized.

But which behaviors and trends poison workplaces the most?

This was also discussed at the panel «Can the ideal workplace exist? Ideas, tools and culture to improve the workplace», coordinated by the online tutoring platform Fluentify – awarded as Best Workplaces Europe 2022 – in the context of the Human Resources Forum. Some active policies have emerged that can be implemented by management: active listening and trust, first of all. But also concrete tools such as the short week, free holidays but also work environments that favor harmony and exchange. Returning to the initial question on the things that intoxicate the workplace the most, they are all those behaviors that affect one work culture positive and collaborative. Marvin Bower, American business management guru, who defines corporate culture as, «the way things are done in a company. More than a set of written rules, the way we feel when we are at work. Culture is like the air you breathe. If it’s toxic, the organization dies.”

10 things that poison workplaces according to Fluently

1. Repressing emotional intelligence: the work environment is one of the contexts in which not being able to establish constructive relationships, relying only on intuition, not grasping the positive emotional currents that are established between people proves to be a destructive weapon for the whole team . \
2. Feeling stuck in a role: in addition to the increase in skills and, in some cases, possible career advancements, the rotation of roles in the company prevents any loss of motivation and helps to keep the work environment lively and stimulating. Imprisoning employees in a role and thinking that their growth depends only on the level of seniority creates a climate of competition that is not always healthy.
3. Not getting rewards: whatever people say, compliments are not enough. The worker feels valued and gratified when someone notices and rewards his commitment. Whether it’s salary increases, bonuses, shopping vouchers, gift certificates or benefits, the important thing is that the employee does not think that his efforts go unnoticed or that they are only rewarded with a “bravo”.
4. Don’t celebrate other people’s successes: celebrating the results of others, of whatever nature, stimulates the team – and not the single person – and fuels everyone’s spirit of initiative. Giving everyone a moment to celebrate helps to create virtuous bonds with colleagues. Success, if not shared, is only the achievement of a personal goal.
5. Working in an undeserving context: when a model employee feels overtaken by a colleague who is objectively less competent and deserving of promotions, the team splits up and the adherence and sense of belonging to one’s company is lost.
6. Not feeling welcomed: whether it’s for three days a week or even just for a meeting, not working in a welcoming, familiar and bright workplace does not make the employee happy to move from home and, consequently, limits the possibility of building important bonds between colleagues .
7. Lack of trust: when possible, not favoring initiatives such as smart working in holiday resorts or the short week makes the worker think that the cause could be a lack of trust on the part of governance, a factor that creates dangerous micro-management dynamics.
8. Have a detached boss: today’s worker would like his boss to seek dialogue with him. This does not mean expecting an interest in one’s private life, on the contrary, but simply feeling listened to in an active and participatory way in order to avoid any requests for a private confrontation due to bad moods or misunderstandings.
9. Don’t feel like an entrepreneur: if it is true that the success of one is the success of all and that the growth of a company is the growth of all, repressing the sense of co-responsibility of collaborators makes them lose their sense of initiative, creativity and enterprise.
10. Don’t join a common mission: not feeling part of a project does not make us fully adhere to the values ​​of the company we work for. It is initiatives such as a day dedicated to waste collection in one’s own city together with one’s colleagues that foster a true sense of belonging within the team.