In August this year, newspapers reported British tourists caught up in “carnage” and “ferocious battles” to get poolside loungers in Spain. Queues of more than 100 people at 8am, free for all behaviours, rudeness, elbowing, shouting. Holiday makers were being left to their own devices, management allegedly turning a blind eye, with any type of behaviour allowed. Some hotels even employed Security to break up fights and negotiate between families. Mostly though, the most aggressive were victorious whilst others were left disappointed and angry. The same cycle was repeated daily with no one resolving the situation.
Whilst the events may or may not have been dramatized for more effect, these types of behaviour do exist and are also commonly seen in workplaces. Look at the similarities below – all behaviours in the workplace which were mirrored (and encouraged) in Spain. Back at work though, these shouldn’t be accepted as normal practice.
Lacking responsibility for own actions.
Doesn’t work well with others.
Negative attitude.
Arrogance.
Not responsive to feedback.
Resistant to change.
At McKinney HR we speak to organisations daily who are dealing with these types of challenging behaviours.
The Bad News: If these behaviours are not tackled and left to fester as “that’s just the way they are”, the consequences can be huge.
The Good News: Sometimes there are only small fixes needed, conversations, facilitations, mediations, or awareness training.
Where there are wider or deeper issues, a fuller culture review may be required. McKinney HR can help with all or some of this, pending what you need. For us, the transformation starts with understanding what the organisation looks like now, getting underneath the surface to uncover any concerns across all areas or levels and then giving suggestions and recommendations to help your teams move forward. These suggestions can be supported by a robust report and plan that will align with your strategy.
Achieving the right cultures and behaviours can be critical to the success of an organisation. Contact support@mckinneyhr.co.uk if you need help at any stage on your journey.