Working in a cutthroat environment can negatively affect your health, and if the impact is big enough, you should seriously consider doing something about it. Photo: cubicletherapy.com.
Travis Bradberry lists some examples of pressure-cooker work environments, often lauded in movies and TV shows but with negative consequences in the real world.
Far too many managers believe a cutthroat pressure-cooker culture yields results. They think the harder they crack that whip, the better people will perform.
This business culture is so prevalent it has become a cliché in our society — the inspiration for TV shows and movies. The sad thing is that people often relate to it on the screen because they’ve experienced it firsthand.
Just because everybody seems to be doing it doesn’t mean it works; it just makes it easier to stick your head in the sand and ignore the consequences.
Make no mistake, the costs associated with treating people poorly are real. If you’re working in a cutthroat environment, it’s probably negatively affecting your health, and the impact might be big enough for you to seriously consider doing something about it.
If you aren’t yet motivated to take action, consider how the following hallmarks of cutthroat environments suck the life out of people.
They overwork people: It’s so tempting to work your best people hard that managers frequently fall into this trap.
Overworking good employees is often perplexing to them; it makes them feel as if they’re being punished for a great performance.
New research from Stanford shows that productivity per hour declines sharply when the workweek exceeds 50 hours, and productivity drops off so much after 55 hours that employers don’t get anything out of the extra work.
There’s no empathy: Empathy matters. Does your boss really see you as a person and care how you’re doing, or is he or she focused only on how much work you churn out?
More than half of people who leave their jobs do so because of their relationships with their bosses.
Smart organisations make certain their managers know how to balance being professional with being human. It’s impossible to work for someone for eight-plus hours a day when they aren’t personally involved and don’t care about anything other than your production yield.
They don’t recognise contributions or reward good work: It’s easy to underestimate the power of a pat on the back, especially when it comes to top performers who are intrinsically motivated.
Everyone likes kudos, none more so than those who work hard and give their all. Managers need to communicate with their people to find out what makes them feel good (for some, it’s a promotion; for others, it’s public recognition) and then to reward them for a job well done.
There’s no socialising and no fun: People who have strong connections with their colleagues get sick less often, are less likely to become depressed, and learn faster, remember more, and simply do a better job.
People don’t give their all if they aren’t having fun, and fun is a major protector against burnout.
Google, for example, does just about everything it can to make work fun — free meals, bowling alleys, and fitness classes, to name a few. The idea is simple: If work is fun, you’ll not only perform better, you’ll stick around for longer hours and an even longer career.
They make a lot of stupid rules: Rules are needed, that’s a given, but they don’t have to be shortsighted and lazy attempts at creating order.
When good employees feel as though Big Brother is always watching, they’ll find somewhere else to work.
People don’t help each other out: There’s a big difference between delegating responsibility and abdicating it.
A boss who abdicates responsibility thinks it’s your problem, not his, and that you alone are responsible for solving it.
However, research shows that managers who support their employees in tasks they delegate produce better team players, more willing to help others and more committed to their jobs.
Bosses don’t listen: When employees feel their managers are approachable, supportive, and willing to listen, performance improves.
That feeling of connection leads to a willingness to experiment and take risks, which, in turn, leads to better outcomes.
On the other hand, if any attempts to ask questions or offer suggestions are rebuffed, the work environment is probably cutthroat.
So, what should you do if you are working in a cutthroat environment? Should you leave?
I can’t answer that question for you. What I can do is tell you that the mental and physical consequences are real.
Even if you decide to stick it out because you think the potential payout is worth the short-term sacrifice, just be certain you’re not sacrificing something you can’t get back — your health.
Travis Bradberry is the award-winning co-author of the bestselling book Emotional Intelligence 2.0, and the co-founder of TalentSmart. His books have been translated into 25 languages and are available in more than 150 countries. He can be contacted at TalentSmart.com. This article first appeared on the TalentSmart website.
