How to Disrupt Workplace Culture to Reinforce High Performing Teams

We’ve seen it a million times scrolling through our LinkedIn feeds with articles headlined: “Employees don’t leave jobs; they leave bad company cultures”. And, while this statement rings extraordinarily true, these articles make the rounds on our feeds as a way for employees who are considering leaving their current positions, feel better and solidify the decision, instead of starting a conversation on how the management can learn and change to grow a better corporate culture for all.

Managers are not perfect. Some, if not most, don’t prioritise staff management enough or have had no training to ensure their subordinates are thriving mentally, physically and spiritually.

And this is why one believes in the value of education in company culture. Yes, this might not work for every boss, especially the ones who do bully and harass staff. For the management who needs a little more guidance, here are the top four tips for cultivating culture change and building high-performing teams.

Managing Skills don’t come with Magic

Management is not something where employees are given tasks for a day, making your buck stop there. Real management takes time, planning, preparation and reflection for each individual staff member to ensure their working at their peak. Further, it includes assigning tasks, setting informal meeting to check with a colleague on how they’re progressing, how they’re handling the work, if they need any extra support, or if they have any suggestions to you on your management style, all of which will open the lines of communication to ensure orders aren’t barked, but work is assigned and negotiated further if needed.

Look at your Culture, Critically

When we’re in the thick of it, it can be hard to take a critical look at the potential negative aspects of our company cultures. What’s deemed “normal” in one sector might not resonate all too well with others if there are recurring themes of disrespect, bullying, sexism, racism and other prevalent behaviours that are deemed inappropriate or can be termed as harassment. Don’t wait for one of your employees to be put in a situation that makes them feel uncomfortable before recognising an issue and rectifying the problem at hand.

Actively Fostering Smarter, not Harder Mentality

Great leadership combines decisive action with consideration to get the best out of our teams and our processes. Sometimes, as technology evolves and systems are simplified, it’s easy to fall into the trap of businesses not updating their ways of operating to better align with the new streamlined services available to us. Outdated models of working can cause businesses to lose money, time, productivity and most importantly, cause workers to lose enthusiasm when upper management roadblocks implementation of new innovations. Leaders need to be checking in with their teams to identify any improvements that can be made within the efficiency of their processes and update accordingly for a smarter working environment.

Team Diversity Promotes Positive Disruption

Ensuring that the leaders in your organisation are dedicated to championing diversity is one of the most important factors to consider while focusing on positive disruption in your industry. Having a diverse team promotes a variety of views and valid points to consider which ultimately leads to a more well-rounded approach to the work being completed. Understanding as a leader that what works well for one employee might not work as well for another is a vital observational management technique that will ensure you’re getting the best out of your staff at all times, including finding a team who works well together and compliment each others’ abilities.

Changing company culture is a journey that should always have a very positive end as a goal. By implementing these tactics, you as a leader can ensure that you’re cultivating a positive company culture, which in turn would create high-performance teams that feel valued, are managed efficiently and work harmoniously for your organisation.