workplace culture
Be receptive: Listen to concerns raised
by employees and, where you can, do your
best to address them. A concern may seem
trivial to you but it likely isn’t to the em-ployee
who raised it. This doesn’t mean
you must cater to an employee’s every re-quest.
However, a good manager sincerely
listens to employees and considers options
to address their concerns.
Be consistent and fair: Treat employ-ees
fairly. Nothing builds resentment like
disciplining one employee for arriving five
organization. However, changing an or-ganization’s
culture is not easy, nor will it
happen overnight. Meaningful and sus-tained
change for the better requires
commitment, unequivocal buy-in and
modeling of good behaviour from the
leadership team.
In today’s competitive market, it can
be difficult to complete even the most
essential operational tasks, let alone nur-ture
organizational culture. However, if
you and your management team commit
yourselves to effect positive organizational
change your business and employees will
thank you. ■
Brian Wasyliw and Matthew Badrov are
lawyers with Sherrard Kuzz LLP, one of
Canada’s leading employment and labour
law firms representing the interests of man-agement.
To learn more and/or for assistance
enhancing employee engagement in your
workplace, contact 416-603-0700 (main) or
visit www.sherrardkuzz.com.
WE HAVE A
TENDENCY TO
POINT OUT HOW
EMPOYEEES CAN
IMPROVE, AND
SOMETIMES
FORGET TO
ACKNOWLEDGE
WHAT THEY ARE
DOING WELL.
minutes late for a shift while giving anoth-er
employee a ten-minute grace period.
While it can be difficult to separate per-sonal
feelings from management decisions,
it is critical to do so.
Address issues promptly: The annu-al
(or semi-annual) performance review
should not be the first time an employ-ee
learns about an ongoing performance
issue. While conversations about perfor-mance
can be awkward and unpleasant,
nothing undermines trust like failing to
raise serious and ongoing concerns until
the employee’s formal performance review.
Recognize achievements: Celebrate suc-cesses!
We have a tendency to point out
how employees can improve, and some-times
forget to acknowledge what they are
doing well.
COMMIT TO CHANGE
Creating a strong and healthy organiza-tional
culture is a laudable goal and when
achieved, is almost certain to benefit the
62 ❚ MAY/JUNE 2014 ❚ HR PROFESSIONAL