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Sarah Gideon outlines five common workplace mistakes and demonstrates how HR can turn these challenges into opportunities.
Employees frequently encounter challenges that can result in workplace errors. While these missteps are uncommon, they can affect individual performance, disrupt team cohesion, and hinder overall organisational success. Yet, these challenges also serve as valuable opportunities for learning and growth, and productive conversations on how to learn from them.
HR professionals play a significant role in identifying these issues early on and implementing strategies to help employees, and their line managers, overcome them. By stepping in with targeted interventions and support, HR can transform potential setbacks into learning experiences.
In this article, Sarah Gideon highlights five typical workplace mistakes employees make and, more importantly, how HR can actively step in to offer support and guidance, transforming challenges into opportunities for a more efficient and cohesive work environment.
#1 mistake: Cybersecurity
A Proofpoint 2024 State of the Phish survey revealed ten common cybersecurity mistakes made in the office:
- Using work devices for personal activities
- Reusing or sharing passwords
- Connecting to the Internet without VPN in public spaces
- Responding to unknown messages
- Accessing inappropriate websites
- Clicking on unknown links or downloading attachments
- Calling unfamiliar phone numbers
- Allowing unbadged access
- Uploading sensitive data to unproven third-party clouds
- Giving credentials to untrustworthy sources
According to the survey, users engaged in these risky behaviours for several reasons, with convenience, timesaving, and urgency being the most frequent motivations.
Interestingly, a small minority of 2.5% acted out of sheer curiosity. The key takeaway is that the problem isn't a lack of security awareness. Instead, many people know the risks but still choose convenience or other immediate needs over security.
When employees inadvertently compromise cybersecurity, HR can play a proactive role through the following initiatives:
- Conduct awareness training programmes with real-life scenarios to show employees the potential consequences of risky behaviour to underscore the importance of adhering to security protocols.
- Foster a culture that values and prioritises security by regularly communicating the importance of following security policies and the potential impact of curiosity-driven actions on the organisation.
- Create a safe environment for employees to report suspicious activities or curiosity-driven behaviour without fear of reprimand and encourage them to ask questions and seek guidance when unsure about security practices.
- Use gamification techniques to make learning about cybersecurity engaging, with interactive and challenging security awareness games or simulations that can dispel curiosity in a more controlled and informed manner.
- Limit access to sensitive information and systems to reduce opportunities for curiosity-driven exploration and ensure that employees only have access to the data and tools necessary for their roles.
- Send periodic reminders about cybersecurity best practices and the risks associated with curiosity-driven actions to highlight the importance of keeping security top-of-mind.
- Establish and communicate clear consequences for security policy violations as understanding the potential repercussions can deter employees from engaging in risky behaviour that may be driven by curiosity.
#2 mistake: Cultural Mismatch
Cultural mismatch occurs when there is a misalignment between an employee’s values, behaviours, or working style and the prevailing culture of an organisation. This misalignment can impact job satisfaction, performance, and overall team dynamics.
Here are some examples of cultural mismatch:
- Values and beliefs: If an organisation prioritises collaboration and an employee prefers working independently, this misalignment can create tension.
- Behavioural norms: Organisations may have specific behavioural norms or expectations, such as communication or decision-making processes, and significant differences between an employee’s behaviour and these norms can lead to misunderstandings.
- Work style: An employee accustomed to a rigid structure may struggle in a more flexible or collaborative environment if there is a variation in attitudes towards work-life balance, time management, or hierarchical versus flat organisational structures.
HR can address cultural mismatches through the following:
- Ensure that the recruitment process assesses not only the skills and qualifications of candidates but also their fit with the organisational culture.
- Provide thorough onboarding that helps new hires understand and adapt to the company’s culture and values. This can include cultural orientation sessions and mentoring programmes.
- Regularly solicit feedback from employees about their experiences and perceptions of the company culture. HR should utilise this feedback to address cultural mismatches and make necessary adjustments.
- Promote an inclusive culture where diverse work styles and perspectives are valued and integrated. This can help mitigate the effects of cultural mismatch and create a more adaptable work environment.
#3 mistake: Indiscipline
Indiscipline refers to behaviours or actions that deviate from established rules, guidelines, or expectations within an organisation. It often disrupts work processes, affects team morale, and can impact overall productivity. Here’s a breakdown of indiscipline and its implications:
Types of indiscipline:
- Absenteeism: Frequent or unjustified absences from work that disrupt operations and place additional burdens on colleagues.
- Lateness: Regularly arriving late to work or meetings, which can affect team schedules and productivity.
- Non-compliance with policies: Failing to adhere to company policies or procedures, such as security protocols, dress codes, or health and safety regulations.
- Unprofessional behaviour: Engaging in behaviour that is deemed unprofessional or disruptive, such as inappropriate conduct, disrespectful communication, or conflicts with colleagues.
- Insubordination: Refusing to follow reasonable instructions from supervisors or challenging authority inappropriately.
- Poor performance: Consistently failing to meet performance standards or deadlines, which can impact team goals and project outcomes.
Implications of indiscipline:
- Disruption of workflow: Indiscipline can lead to interruptions in work processes and affect overall productivity.
- Decreased team morale: When some employees do not adhere to standards, it can demoralise others who are following the rules.
- Legal and compliance risks: Non-compliance with regulations or policies can expose the organisation to legal risks or regulatory penalties.
- Increased turnover: Persistent indiscipline may lead to dissatisfaction among employees, potentially resulting in higher turnover rates.
To address various forms of indiscipline, HR should establish a clear code of conduct and communicate expectations to all employees. When issues arise, HR can intervene by offering counselling or coaching to understand the underlying causes and work towards corrective action.
In cases of habitual lateness or absenteeism, HR can explore the reasons why this is happening so frequently, ensure that the line manager is aware and is taking active steps to address them, and provide support for personal issues that might be affecting punctuality.
For more serious infractions, HR should follow a fair and consistent disciplinary process to maintain a respectful and orderly workplace.
#4 mistake: Failure to communicate progress on projects
When it comes to failure to communicate progress on projects, failure to communicate progress on projects refers to the lack of regular and effective updates about the status of ongoing projects, which can lead to several issues within a team or organisation:
- When project progress isn’t communicated clearly, team members and stakeholders might have different expectations about the project's status, which can lead to confusion and misalignment.
- Lack of regular updates makes identifying potential delays early on projects, challenging, resulting in missed deadlines and impact overall project timelines and deliverables.
- Lack of communication on project progress makes tracking individual contributions difficult and hinders holding team members accountable for their responsibilities.
- Failure to communicate progress on projects can lead to unresolved problems or obstacles, making early identification of issues crucial for timely resolution and preventing escalation.
HR and people managers can take the following steps to combat the failure to communicate progress on projects:
- Implement and promote the use of specific tools and platforms for project updates, ensuring that everyone knows where and how to report progress.
- Schedule regular meetings or status updates to review project progress, address issues, and realign goals, fostering an environment of continuous communication.
- Create and communicate clear guidelines on how and when progress should be reported, including the type of information required and the format for updates.
- Foster a culture of transparency where team members feel comfortable sharing updates and raising concerns without fear of repercussions.
- Provide training on effective communication and project management techniques to improve how progress is reported and managed.
- Implement and encourage the use of project management software that allows for real-time tracking of progress and facilitates easy sharing of updates.
- Promote open dialogue between team members and managers, ensuring that feedback and concerns about project progress are actively encouraged and addressed.
#5 mistake: Energy management
Energy management in the workplace involves balancing the demands of work with personal wellbeing to enhance productivity and prevent burnout. Effective energy management helps employees maintain high levels of performance while protecting their mental and physical health.
Here are some ways HR and their people managers can take care of employees and their energies:
Breaks and downtime
- Encourage employees to take regular, scheduled breaks to rest and recharge. Short breaks throughout the day can improve concentration and prevent fatigue.
- Promote practices that support work-life balance, such as flexible work hours or remote work options, to help employees manage their energy levels better.
Wellness programmes
- Offer wellness programmes that include physical activities such as yoga, fitness classes, or gym memberships to boost overall health and energy levels.
- Provide resources for mental health support, such as counselling services, stress management workshops, and mindfulness training.
Comfortable and healthy work environment
- Ensure that employees have access to ergonomic office furniture and a comfortable work environment to reduce physical strain and enhance focus.
- Maintain a clean and organised workspace to minimise distractions and create a conducive environment for productivity.
Foster a supportive culture
- Create a positive and supportive work culture where employees feel valued and motivated, which can enhance overall energy and productivity.
- Encourage open communication between employees and managers to address workload concerns and provide support where needed.
By focusing on these aspects, HR and managers can help employees manage their energy more effectively, leading to improved performance, reduced burnout, and a healthier, more engaged workforce.
In addressing these common workplace challenges, from cybersecurity risks to energy management, it's clear that proactive measures and a supportive work environment are crucial.
By implementing effective strategies, such as regular training, clear communication protocols, and wellness programmes, HR and people managers can foster a more productive and harmonious workplace.
Ultimately, creating an environment where employees are empowered to succeed and feel supported benefits not only the individuals but the organisation as a whole.
As the saying goes, “Shared success brings happiness to everyone.” When teams work together and support each other, everyone experiences the joy and satisfaction of collective achievement.
READ MORE: How to effectively resolve conflict in the workplace
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