January Workplace Blues? Chances are it’s due to a Toxic Workplace Culture!

Ask yourself this; are you dreading Sundays as you start to hone in on your working week ahead? If so, the chances are it’s due to ‘Toxic Workplace Culture’; but be assured, you are not alone! January blues statistically affect women (45%) slightly more than men (42.2%).

January finds us hitting that ‘all time low’ following December’s fun and festivities; the thought of work and the daily grind makes us feel down and depressed. After all, we spend most of our waking time at work. So it’s not only important to feel valued by your employer; you need to feel motivated, engaged and enthused about the company you work for. So, how are such positive qualities achieved within the workplace? Simple – good leadership - from the top down! And the top usually starts with the Board.

If the workplace feels like a ship listing from side to side, no Captain, vision, plan or moral compass then there is no leadership - you don’t stand a chance of feeling any positivity, motivation or engagement – and your work productivity will be affected.

Without such key engagement qualities from employees, companies survive but they will not be thriving – they will muddle through and productivity will suffer – along with their ‘bottom line’! A lack of leadership within the workplace will affect any employee’s mental health and wellbeing; disengagement leads to demotivation which results in stress, depression and anxiety. Take it from me – I’ve been there – it’s a hard place to bring yourself back from when you have been made to feel devalued, disengaged and demotivated! At HR Fit for Purpose we watch with horror as poor leadership continues across every industry, resulting in destruction taking companies to the brink of financial collapse and beyond.

The recipe for a happy workforce is really simple but employers still do not ‘get it’ and could do more to ensure their employee retention rate is high and that sickness absence rates and employee turnover is low. That is the key to business success.

If you are working for a company where the sickness absence rates are high and the employee retention rate is low then it’s likely to be suffering from poor leadership resulting in ‘Toxic Workplace Culture’ which proves very costly for business – at HR Fit for Purpose, we call this ‘HR’s top three Rs’ – Recruitment, Retention and Reputation – which all cost companies money!

So what is the recipe for a successful and thriving company?

Good employers value employees and recognise they are their most valuable asset. They will respect, encourage, develop, invest and reward employees, recognising that the work/life balance is key to retaining engaged and motivated employees. Good employers will involve and consult you when changes are taking place, they will engage with you and discuss new projects, problems or innovations. Good employers will thank you for your contribution – maybe financially or by offering incentives such as family friendly policies or benefits which encourage employees to stay ‘on board’.

AND good employers will also always tell you the truth about what is happening within the company – they will never lie to you! Employers who behave in this way will ultimately be exposed and potentially realise that because of poor leadership and engagement, the company is not a

thriving hub of productivity. It’s a den of disengaged and demotivated individuals, resentful and unhappy in their employment.

This will not only affect a company’s employee retention rate, but can affect their reputation leading to loss of income, investment and customers – a great recipe for company meltdown and disaster!

If this describes your workplace, it maybe time for a change. Take control and jump ship - there are many good companies out there with a moral compass who care about and support their employees.

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