For many people, burnout is becoming a significant element in how they respond to situations. If you are noticing that there is a change in behaviour at work, burnout or stress may be a root cause.
These kinds of behavioural changes may also impact the current climate in the workplace. Shorter "fuses", more errors, less patience, and lack of focus combined are a recipe for greater confrontation, less respectful communication, and a greater risk of misinterpretations. In addition to these communication challenges, simple disagreements have the potential to escalate into altercations or inappropriate outbursts.
Those individuals that may already be short on patience or impulse control, are at even greater risk of responding inappropriately at work.
What can you do to keep your dealership culture happy, and reduce the risk of misconduct or even worse- violence in the workplace?
Knowing your team and being able to identify those that may be vulnerable to burnout is important. If you have key players that are taking on additional responsibilites (even if they are they type that you can always rely on), keep an eye on mood, attendance and focus.
Understanding when someone may be dealing with stressors outside of work can also go a long way to managing situations so that burnout does not occur. Regardless of how busy the dealership is, reiterating to people that health and wellness are priorities and that vacation time, and other related leaves are potential options to handle what is transpiring so that when they are at work, they are bringing their whole selves and contributing to a workplace that is a positive place to be.
Responding to inappropriate conduct in a fast, efficient, and thorough manner will also let staff know that you take the culture and environment at work seriously. Cherishing a culture where combative behaviour is not tolerated helps everyone stay focused on being respectful.
Responding to these situations may include conducting a comprehensive investigation into allegations or complaints, providing training and resources to staff and/or following a discipline process. Leaving outbursts and poor behaviour unaddressed may result in having staff that are increasingly disengaged or even giving workplace bullies an opportunity to flourish at the cost of keeping good people.
When changes occur to how people respond to each other or their work, having a calm and compassionate conversation to identify root causes can go a long way. Reminding staff about access to EAP, time off, coping mechanisims and dealing with different personalities sets a strong foundation for moving ahead in a respectful and supportive way.
If you would like more information about what constitutes violence in the workplace, how we assist subscribers in supporting different personalities in the workplace or how to retain a culture of positivity and productivity, please email us at info@dealerpilothr.com