By Brent O’Bryan, SPHR, VicePresident, Learning and Development, AlliedBarton Security Services
“The nail that sticks out gets hammered down” is an old Japanese saying that took hold in our post-World War II corporate America culture. This phrase encourages an unspoken rule of conformity combined with an authoritarian hierarchical structure. Today, it is important for business leaders to consider the impact this has in American workplaces.
Chicago, Baltimore, and Philadelphia are examples of metropolitan markets that wrestle with significant violence in the streets. In all three cities, law enforcement and the state attorney’s offices face the headwind of a “stop snitching” culture. Stop snitching—the suggestion that one should not cooperate with authorities by sharing information about violentincidents—is so prevalent in some areas that T-shirts reflecting an anti-snitching message have been produced and sold.
When criminals and bullies are accepted as commonplace and have greater influence than the law, their actions will not be reported, and the perpetrators themselves ultimately will not be held accountable for their actions. An anti-snitching philosophy also infiltrates many workplaces as bullies become the employees sitting in the next cubicle or office. Or worse, they become the boss.
When individuals see something but say nothing, or when organizations discourage, intentionally or not, the active reporting of concerning actions and behaviors, opportunities for violence in the workplace increase. So what can an organization do to transform from a “see something, say nothing” culture to a “see something, say something” culture?
Organizational culture, policy, and practices need to be objectively evaluated, and if necessary, changed. The culture of an organization will always trump policy when the two are not aligned. Culture often is best defined by the accepted behaviors and practices in an organization. While the printed or preached culture may be positive, if the reality of what is practiced every day is not, senior leadership must take steps to make the desired culture a reality.
Here are some areas that business leaders in Human Resources and other senior leadership roles should review, analyze, and work collectively to change.
- Tame senior management bully squads: If leadership fosters a workplace bullying culture, then this attitude and behavior will trickle down, permeate, and dramatically alter the work culture in a negative fashion. Human Resources leaders, in particular, need to demonstrate to senior management that the adverse culture fails to foster productivity, teamwork, and creativity —three vital objectives every company wants to fulfill. Human Resources leaders may consider corporatewide surveys, implemented by a third-party vendor, that poll employees anonymously. If employees know they can vent their frustrations and share feedback anonymously, without fear of losing their job, real change can start to occur.
- Create leadership development programs: Nurturing in-house talent with a well-defined leadership development program makes employees feel more connected to the business, eases the chain of succession, and empowers employees to be more creative, connected, and engaged. Just as there are companies in many shapes and sizes, leadership development programs differ dramatically from company to company. The end goal of these programs is that employees have an opportunity to improve their skills through classes and workshops, have access to promotional opportunities as they arise, and feel a sense of community and kinship with their company.
- Leadership development begins with recruiting as Human Resources professionals seek individuals who can successfully lead their company’s mission. An ongoing commitment to a leadership culture, to include developing leaders throughout the organization, is critical. Strong leadership can help develop your desired culture and support a positive work environment.
- Develop a culture of openness: Companies that have developed a culture of openness can provide and receive feedback at all levels. A 360-degree feedback initiative can be a valuable option but is only recommended after a company has begun its journey to developing an open culture. If the workplace still fosters a “see something, say nothing” ideology, employees will not be forthcoming for fear their confidence won’t be kept, or that the source of negative or constructive feedback will be too easily identified. A third-party survey company should be brought on board to confidentially assess feedback by employees at all levels of the organization.
- Establish reporting mechanisms: It is important for an organization to establish clear reporting lines. These should be made especially clear in policies and procedures and communicated frequently. For example, if employees who are trained on the warning signs for workplace violence sees aberrant behavior or actions by a colleague, they should know exactly when, how, and to whom they should report this activity. The expectation that employees report inappropriate, violent, or suspicious activity can only be realized when there are measures in place that allow and encourage reporting.
Leadership effectiveness depends on the ability to gain the trust of the people who work for them. This also assumes that the one holding the trust—the employee—will perform certain desired behaviors, and that the leader has both the desire and ability to “walk the talk.”People who feel they are in a safe and secure environment are capable of achieving great things. It is up to their leaders to tap into this fundamental optimism and allegiance, and move them forward to success.
By building a successful culture where employees feel safe, not threatened, and not maligned by their bosses, they will flourish creatively and be more productive. By developing a culture where employees understand the range and varieties of workplace violence and its warning signs, they will feel empowered to do something about it. A culture actively exhibiting healthy behaviors and practices, combined with a zero-tolerance policy for any inappropriate or troubling behaviors is a winning formula, both for the organization and the individual.
Brent O’Bryan, SPHR, is vicepresident, Learning and Development, at AlliedBarton Security Services, www.alliedbarton.com, a provider of highly trained security personnel to many industries, including commercial real estate, higher education, health care, residential communities, chemical/petrochemical, government, manufacturing and distribution, financial institutions, and shopping centers.
