Creating a Positive Workplace Culture
Our recent Q&A at Caffe Culture.
I recently joined a panel at Caffe Culture, discussing all things positive working culture. Here I’ve shared some of the key q’s from the host with the most, Jon Townsend, and my responses.
1. One of the biggest impacts that a toxic work culture can have is not only on its staff but also its customers. What are the biggest indicators for you that there is a toxic work culture and how would you remedy it?
Team turnover is the biggest indicator. It tells you everything you need to know. I am lucky to work with very small indy’s and so the capabilities are there to seek out internal feedback very easily. Unlike a big corporate, an owner can literally ask themselves, or alternatively, if they happen to be the issue, they can introduce an external third party to investigate the internal culture issues. Also low spend per head, regular team sickness, low turnout at team parties, poor quality product which are usually all just the result of high team turnover and/or poor training & development anyway.
The easiest way to remedy this is to hold an effective exit interview system where feedback is anonymous and actioned. This should be completed by an impartial third party ideally, as often the HR/people function within the business is deemed as close to the owner and so the feedback will not be used in the correct way. This tends to make people feel as though it isn’t worth giving their honest feedback and they just leave instead.
2. The environment we work in is incredibly important to our mental health and safety in our workplaces. How do we create a healthy work environment for our employees?
Regular and two way communication scheduled with everyone, regular reviews & development pipeline for them. Physical safety is paramount, acting on all recommendations from EHO or internal safety audits. Also having someone do that for you. Generally, managers hate chasing maintenance, and so having genuine support from a central team with maintenance and H&S issues is so valuable. Having someone in Head Office who gets shit done for you is literally a managers dream. Managers want to focus on what’s important, (which is guests and teams) and maintenance sometimes becomes a huge part of their day to day. Also broken equipment is a huge thing, having something vitally important to their day to day job that doesn’t get fixed, is so demoralising. Lastly, acknowledging overtime by giving that time back. If people work through their breaks or stay late, recognise it and reward with time, which is often as valuable, if not more so, than money.
3. In previous work environments, I’ve experienced blurred lines between working time and leisure. As leaders, what boundaries can we put in place as a business to stop overstepping the line and are there any that you currently use?
Work phones for senior management or Slack or other similar methods, but crucially, insist on no WhatsApp. Encourage alcohol free social events, meaning that the classic lines blurred nights out don’t continue. Don’t allow the teams to drink on site. Have a company policy not to contact anyone on their holiday or go even further, when they are not at work, like Portugal has enforced. If you stick to this, you will become the only company doing this to my knowledge, and the world won’t end, someone will figure it out.
4. Something that I’m incredibly passionate about and a huge advocate for is employee growth and development. With the huge turnover in staff in hospitality, is there anything you would suggest to keep staff retention high and combat this turnover?
Address their potential career path with them at an early stage. They may decide they don’t want to grow with you and just need a job, but good to check. Implementing an anonymous feedback method within your business will allow you to pick up on any trends of why people are not happy with you. Also give people less contracted hours with every year worked. Something they can earn more of over time. Like additional holiday for every year worked, give them less contracted hours each year to encourage them to stay with you. Increase pension contributions for people each year. Show them what a life long career with your business looks like, showcase those who have developed, show them off. Promote people when they are pregnant or on mat/pat leave. Promote part time employees. Make allowances for people when they need it, let people take a sabbatical and rest. Let them go somewhere else for a year to learn something else and then come back. Employ people over 50/60 years of age to show this industry can be for everyone.
5. It’s hugely important to retain the staff you have, but the hiring process is just as crucial. When hiring for a new position, what key qualities or characteristics do your clients look for when hiring?
Willingness to learn
Excitement for the business/brand
Kindness, patience & empathy
Experience in that specific area is often pushed down the list after these things.