Category: customer

Transforming Negative Work Environments

Researchers have identified a growing trend of employees experiencing negative behaviors in the workplace. A landmark study by Schat, Frone, and Kelloway in 2006 reported that 41.4% of U.S. workers, approximately 47 million individuals, encountered psychological antagonism at work over the past year. Similarly, a U.S. government survey of federal employees found that 13% witnessed negative workplace behaviors.

Studies have explored the relationship between work-related psychosocial hazards and psychological illness. Negative behaviors, such as manipulation, exploitation, bullying, degrading treatment, and harassment, have been extensively labeled and studied (Zapf & Einarsen, 2003).

Recent research highlights the link between negative behaviors and employee health. Bowling and Beehr (2006) found significant relationships between negative behaviors and symptoms like depression and anxiety. Additionally, Djurkovic et al. (2004) noted that workplace bullying indirectly contributes to ill health and increased employee turnover intentions.

These studies confirm that psychological workplace hazards and negative behaviors lead to high absenteeism and turnover rates. A study by the University of Copenhagen followed 2,154 healthcare workers over three years, revealing a strong correlation between negative work environments and high turnover rates. Key factors driving turnover included poor leadership, constant exposure to negative behaviors, and health problems (Hogh A, Hoel H, Caneiro IG, 2011b).

Updated References and Examples:

  1. Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace Report (2023): This report highlights that only 20% of employees worldwide are engaged at work, with many citing negative workplace environments as a key factor.
  2. Case Study: Google: Google has implemented robust employee support systems and open communication channels to combat negative workplace behaviors, resulting in higher employee satisfaction and lower turnover rates.
  3. Meta-Analysis by Nielsen & Einarsen (2022): This study found that organizations with comprehensive anti-bullying policies saw a 30% reduction in reported negative behaviors.

Organizations facing these challenges experience reduced productivity, creativity, and work quality, impacting their competitiveness and ability to retain talent. Negative behaviors are costly and undermine organizational goals and success.

To address this, organizations should implement zero-tolerance policies for negative behaviors. Managers and leaders must actively monitor the work environment and maintain open communication channels. Senior managers should hold town hall meetings to gauge the work climate and remain approachable and non-judgmental.

In conclusion, negative workplace environments affect employees across sectors. Mitigating these environments can save organizations from costly medical expenses and reduce absenteeism. Swift action by upper management and leadership is crucial to addressing negative behaviors.

Further research is needed to understand the nature, causes, and consequences of negative workplace behaviors, such as aggression, and to develop effective policies and interventions to reduce such behaviors.

References:

  • Bowling, N. A., & Beehr, T. A. (2006). Workplace harassment from the victim’s perspective: A theoretical model and meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 91(5), 998-1012.
  • Djurkovic, N., McCormack, D., & Casimir, G. (2004). The physical and psychological effects of workplace bullying and their relationship to intention to leave: A test of the psychosomatic and disability hypotheses. International Journal of Organization Theory & Behavior, 7(4), 469-497.
  • Gallup. (2023). State of the Global Workplace Report. Gallup.
  • Hogh, A., Hoel, H., & Caneiro, I. G. (2011b). Bullying and employee turnover among healthcare workers: A three-year follow-up study. Journal of Nursing Management, 19(6), 742-751.
  • Nielsen, M. B., & Einarsen, S. V. (2022). What we know, what we do not know, and what we need to know about workplace bullying: An overview of the literature and agenda for future research. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 57, 101476.
  • Schat, A. C. H., Frone, M. R., & Kelloway, E. K. (2006). Prevalence of workplace aggression in the U.S. workforce: Findings from a national study. In E. K. Kelloway, J. Barling, & J. J. Hurrell Jr. (Eds.), Handbook of workplace violence (pp. 47-89). Sage Publications.
  • Zapf, D., & Einarsen, S. (2003). Individual antecedents of bullying: Victims and perpetrators. In S. Einarsen, H. Hoel, D. Zapf, & C. L. Cooper (Eds.), Bullying and emotional abuse in the workplace: International perspectives in research and practice (pp. 165-184). Taylor & Francis.

Feel free to reach out if you need further assistance or have any questions!

Add Value to Others

What’s your attitude towards others? “You can’t make the other fella feel important in your presence if you secretly feel that he is a nobody.” This is a quote from Les Giblin. What a revelation! I always said people do and respond to what they see others do in response. People know when you are sincere and when you are hypocritical. Worst of all, you know your true feelings, which are evident in your actions and deeds. If you want the best from others, give them your best. Make them feel valuable. Biblically, it is the golden rule; doing unto others as you want them to do to you. The law of reciprocity applies here.

Maya Angelou famously said, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” People don’t care about your prestige, knowledge base, or high position. They want to know that you demonstrate and care about them. And show them that you stand by them. This is the yardstick upon which a person’s sense of responsibility is measured.

If you genuinely don’t want to help others but want them to help you reach an advantage, then you have problems and conflicts. When this happens, we must rely on manipulation to get people to move toward our benefit. Stop the manipulation; motivate instead! Like in any relationship, you must put something in it to get something out. 

To influence people is to show them how important they are and the value they bring to the relationship, the organization, or the community. Respond kindly to people and be humane in your interactions with others. Instead of manipulating people into obedience for your advantage, admit their importance through appreciative acts.

Don’t criticize or condemn; instead, compliment.

Give honest and sincere appreciation.

Become genuinely interested in others.

Make others feel important and do it sincerely.

Give others a reason to be proud of their good deeds.

Do not, by your attitude, make people feel less important.

In the words of Sydney J Harris, “People want to be appreciated, not impressed. They want to be regarded as human beings, not as sounding boards for other people’s Egos. They want to be treated as an End in themselves, not as a means towards the gratifications of another’s vanity.” What’s your attitude towards others? I hope in 2023 you will add value to them rather than devalue them.

Dr. D

Happy Holidays !!!

How to handle conflict and commit to the customer

Derrick C Darden, PhD

There’s an old saying by Sam Walton: “There is only one boss, the customer. Serving the customer is the reason your business exists. In the professional world, your job, whether it’s in sales, services or manufacturing, revolves around the customer.”

However, what happens when there is a conflict between a customer and an employee?

In this short blog, we will talk about how to handle those situations. Unfortunately, they are inevitable, but we have some tips and tricks on how to resolve them.

But before we get to them, I want to tell you a story.

I once heard about a customer who was waiting patiently to be seen by the optometrist to be fitted with new glasses. Her number was finally called, but instead of the optometrist technician waiting directly on her, he decided to answer a question from a customer who hadn’t taken a number at all. “Ironically, this same technician was rude to my husband only a month ago,” the customer remembered.

Now, this customer became infuriated and very loud. Of course, this got the attention of everyone in the store.  In the meantime, the manager was watching this take place in the background and quickly came to the aid of the furious customer. The quickly extinguished the situation. He took care of the customer, and the customer left happy.

As this story illustrates, one way to resolve a conflict to get straight to the source. What is the source? It is the foundation of how this conflict occurred. There’s always a second perception behind the truth. Maybe the customer was irritated by another, unrelated situation. But you assume that all this anger and resentment is geared towards you. Most of the time, the customer doesn’t have a personal problem, but a consumer problem. And, as a consumer, they must get quality and satisfaction.

So avoid complaining to others and whimpering. Avoid negative name-calling and further eroding your relationship with that customer.

Second, dissect the problem, not each other. Attack the problem by looking at it from different angles, then ask the customer to help buy into the solution.

Third, avoid the “blame game.” Instead of wasting your energy in finger-pointing and trying to prove your point (if there is a point to be made), direct your energy to resolving the issue at hand.

Here are some other tips on how to resolve a conflict with a customer:

1.      Listen to your customer’s concerns, get an understanding of what is being said, take off the filters. Listen with both ears, and speak once.

2.      Remember the golden rule: Do onto others as you want them to do unto you. You cannot judge someone. Put yourself in that customer’s shoes. As the saying goes, you can’t judge a person until you walk a mile in their shoes.

3.      Understanding is key. Understand why the conflict happened. What are some of the causes? Never assume that these things always happen.

4.      Lastly, to fix the conflict, go to the customer and make things right between you two. Re-establish your relationship and earn back their trust.

I hope this article will help you with your decision making. And remember – without conflict, life would be boring!