5 Habits to Avoid that Will Destroy Your Company Culture

Picture this. You walk into your office on a Monday morning, excited to start the week, only to be met with a tense and uncomfortable atmosphere. Your team seems irritated and avoids eye contact, and you can’t quite understand why.  

As you settle in at your desk, you realize the problem isn't just with one person - it's the company culture. Unfortunately, this scenario is all too common. A negative workplace culture can make even the most optimistic employee feel stressed, unmotivated, and disengaged. And certain habits can destroy your company culture by 100%. 

Before we delve into these habits, it’s important to note that they’re not necessarily intentional. Employees might not recognize their behavior as being detrimental to the company culture. However, that doesn’t mean they’re not damaging. Here are 5 habits that can destroy your company culture:

Gossiping: We’ve all done it. Gossiping is an easy trap, whether about a coworker’s work performance or personal life. However, it can have disastrous effects on your company culture. Employees' gossip creates a toxic environment where trust and respect are non-existent. Instead of discouraging gossiping, create an environment that values transparency and open communication. Encourage employees to speak up about an issue or concern and create channels to voice their opinions and feedback. This can include regular team meetings, anonymous feedback surveys, or open-door policies.

Micromanaging: Micromanagers are control freaks who want to be involved in every aspect of their employees’ work. This creates a stressful work environment where employees feel like they can’t make decisions without their manager’s approval. Give your employees the freedom to make decisions and take ownership of their work. Trust that they’ll get the job done.

Playing the blame game: When something goes wrong, it’s easy to point fingers and assign blame. However, this creates a culture of fear and defensiveness, where employees fear taking risks or admitting their mistakes. Instead of focusing on mistakes or failures, celebrate successes and recognize employees for their achievements. Create a culture of learning and growth, where mistakes are viewed as opportunities for improvement rather than reasons for punishment or blame.

Lack of communication: When communication breaks down, misunderstandings occur, and mistakes are made. This can lead to a lack of trust and a toxic work environment.  Encourage open communication by actively listening to employees, responding to their feedback, and addressing concerns promptly and transparently.

Avoiding conflict: Conflict is a natural part of any workplace, and dealing with it head-on is essential. When employees avoid conflict, it can lead to resentment, passive-aggressive behavior, and a lack of trust among coworkers. Encourage employees to address conflicts as they arise and provide them with the necessary tools and resources to handle them constructively. By fostering a culture that embraces healthy conflict resolution, you can create a workplace environment where employees feel comfortable expressing their opinions and working through issues together.

These five habits can destroy your company culture by 100%. While they may seem harmless, they can harm your workplace environment. You can create a positive and productive workplace by recognizing these habits and taking steps to fix them. 

Ps. Ever seen this at work? 

Always wishing you the best,

Dr. Beckford

Reducing employee stress is the key to retaining your best talent and boosting productivity, and it is only attainable through the UR Caring Docs proprietary self-care stress reduction workshops. Interested? Schedule a call here.