• What must Leaders do?
• Cybercrime survey
• The balanced scorecard - its simple really!
• 7 Steps for Marketeers to survive in the current climate
• Great managers - the key to employee Retention
• Everything Communicates - 7 Steps for Great internal communication
• PITOC Overview
• Why do we need professional change managers and leaders?
• Seven signs that your Company is struggling to implement change
• Why do organisations need to transform and change?
• Benefits Management - 'A Strategic Business Skill for all Seasons'.
• The challenge of creating positive working environments
• A summary of Professor John Kotters 8 step change process
• Leadership challenges in the Public Service
• Can staff engagement really pay back to bottom line business performance?
• Are any of these bad habits holding you back?

The challenge of creating positive working environments

SUCCESS FACTORS

A key factor in the success of this project was that senior managers took the issue seriously and gave a commitment to provide the resources necessary to ensure the action plan was a living document. This did include awareness raising programmes for both staff and managers focusing on dignity at work. For managers in particular there was a key element on the distinction between effective management and bullying. Many of the solutions were not resource intensive. One of the key concerns centred on a lack of understanding of work roles. Staff therefore agreed to hold joint meetings and have a standing item that started: ‘A day in the life of …’. This outlined the chosen individual’s key responsibilities during a typical day.

It was also decided to review the current rules to identify those that were really necessary and then send clear guidance to managers to ensure that there was a consistency in approach. This required minor changes in workplace organisation.

Another important ingredient in the success was that the team created its own charter of behaviours that everyone subscribed to. These were as simple, in some instances, as: ‘Say please and thank you’, ‘Acknowledge good work’ and ‘Do not raise your voice’. One team also agreed to put the key points from their charter on the back of red and green cards. It was accepted that if anyone breached the standards of acceptable behaviour in a meeting they would be given a red card. A programme looking at behaviours at work and being clear as to the distinction between effective management and bullying was also developed.

All staff, from the senior leadership team to more junior staff, attended. The benefits for all stakeholders have been enormous, especially in terms of improved delivery for customers. This was evidenced, not only by the easily measurable team targets, but also by an independent evaluation and the staff survey findings carried out one year later.

About the Marilyn Tyzack

Marilyn is Associate Director at Ascot Barclay Group and has many years of experience and understanding of the areas of leadership, culture change and diversity. Prior to joining Ascot Barclay she worked as a diversity and leadership specialist with The Work Foundation. Marilyn has worked with a wide range of organisations in both the public and private sectors, helping them to build on what is currently working well to develop positive working environments. The approach is very much one of employee engagement with the focus on improving morale and performance. She has recently concluded a research project using an audit framework and culture tool she has designed and used extensively and is currently working with The Metropolitan Police on an 18-month culture change and leadership project. She has been a keynote speaker on diversity and leadership for a number of programmes.

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References for this article:

1. Delivering Quality and Value, Focus on Productivity and Efficiency, (UK) April 2006, NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement.

2. Organisational Culture and Leadership Edgard Schein (USA) (1985) ISBN 0-13-641332-3

3. Stansfield, S., Head, J. and Marmot, M. UK (2004) Work Related Factors and Ill Health, The Whitehall II Study. Published by The Public and Commercial Services Unions/Cabinet Office

4. Ishmael, A. (1999) UK Harassment, Bullying and Violence at Work (Employment Matters).Spiro Press

5. Cooper, N. (2007) Personnel Today, 18th September. www.personneltoday.com/staticpages/blogs.htm

6. Ibid.

7. Egan, G. (1994 ) (USA) Working the Shadow Side: A Guide to Positive Behind-the-Scenes Management, October. Jossey-Bass Business and Management Series

8. Tyzack, M. (2005) The Impact of Policies and Procedures on Working Environments in the Higher

Education Sector, The Leadership Foundation for Higher Education, London.

9. Department of Health (2004) (UK) Standards for Better Health, 21st July. TSO Publications