OfficeTime users are very focused on smart time management. We know you are making the most of your minutes, which is why you know tracking your time is vital. One area that may get overlooked when we consider “time killers” in the workplace is the culture that we as business owners instill in our businesses. A recent post by Dr. Travis Bradberry on LinkedIn tells us the dangers to productivity and the overall health of our operations when we instill a “cutthroat pressure-cooker culture.”
Bradberry says “Far too many companies believe that a cutthroat pressure-cooker culture gets results. They think that the harder they crack that whip, the better people will perform.”
High-pressure cutthroat organizations spend 50% more on healthcare for their employees than organizations with a more positive, supportive environment because 80% of workplace accidents are attributed to stress, as are 80% of doctor visits.
Cutthroat organizations are actually less productive because they experience significantly lower levels of employee engagement. Organizations with high numbers of disengaged employees have 40% lower earnings per share, are 18% less productive, and have 50% higher turnover.
If you’re working in a cutthroat environment, it’s probably negatively affecting your health, and the impact might be big enough that you should seriously consider doing something about it.
Some negative ramifications of this kind of culture:
They overwork people. New research from Stanford shows that productivity per hour declines sharply when the workweek exceeds 50 hours, and productivity drops off so much after 55 hours that employers don’t get anything out of the extra work.
There’s no empathy. Bosses who fail to really care will always have high turnover rates. It’s impossible to work for someone for eight-plus hours a day when they aren’t personally involved and don’t care about anything other than your production yield.
They don’t recognize contributions or reward good work. It’s easy to underestimate the power of a pat on the back, especially when it comes to top performers who are intrinsically motivated. Everyone likes kudos, none more so than those who work hard and give their all.
There’s no socializing and no fun. People who have strong connections with their colleagues get sick less often, are less likely to become depressed, learn faster, remember more, and simply do a better job. The idea is simple: if work is fun, you’ll not only perform better, but you’ll stick around for longer hours and an even longer career.
They make a lot of stupid rules. Whether it’s an overzealous attendance policy or taking employees’ frequent flier miles, even a couple of such unnecessary rules can drive people crazy. When good employees feel as though big brother is watching, they’ll find someplace else to work.
People don’t help each other out. Research shows that managers who support their employees in tasks that they delegate produce better team players who are more willing to help others and are more committed to their jobs.
They don’t let people pursue their passions. Talented employees are passionate, and providing opportunities for them to pursue their passions improves their productivity and job satisfaction. Studies have shown that people who are able to pursue their passions at work experience flow, a euphoric state of mind that is five times more productive than the norm.
Bosses don’t listen. When employees feel that their managers are approachable, supportive, and willing to listen, performance improves. That feeling of connection leads to a willingness to experiment and take risks, which, in turn, leads to better outcomes.
