Many organisations believe that a cutthroat, pressure-cooker environment is the way to get the best out of their workers — Travis Bradberry* has research that proves the opposite.
Far too many managers believe that a cutthroat pressure-cooker culture gets results.
They think that the harder they crack that whip, the better people will perform.
Cutthroat business culture is so prevalent that it’s a cliché in our society, being the inspiration for countless TV shows and movies.
The sad thing is that people relate to it on the screen because they’ve seen 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.
Cutthroat organisations are actually less productive because they experience significantly lower levels of employee engagement.
Organisations with high numbers of disengaged employees are 18 per cent less productive, and have 50 per cent higher turnover.
If you’re working in a cutthroat environment, it’s probably negatively affecting your health.
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
Nothing burns good employees out quite like overworking them.
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.
Research shows that productivity per hour declines sharply when the workweek exceeds 50 hours.
Productivity drops off so much after 55 hours that employers don’t get anything out of the extra work.
There’s no empathy
Does your boss really see you as a person and care how you’re doing, or is he only focused 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.
These are the bosses who empathise with those going through hard times, yet still challenge people.
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.
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 and then to reward them for a job well done.
There’s no socialising and no fun
Strong social connections are an integral part of a healthy workplace.
People who have strong connections with their colleagues get sick less often, are less likely to become depressed, 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.
The best organisations to work for know the importance of letting employees loosen up a little.
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, but you’ll stick around for longer hours and an even longer career.
They make a lot of stupid rules
Organisations need to have rules, but they don’t have to be short-sighted and lazy attempts at creating order.
Whether it’s an overzealous attendance policy or taking employees’ frequent flier miles, even a couple of such unnecessary rules can drive people crazy.
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 that they delegate produce better team players who are more willing to help others.
They don’t let people pursue their passions
Google mandates that employees spend at least 20 per cent of their time doing “what they believe will benefit Google most”.
While these passion projects make major contributions to marquee Google products, their biggest impact is in creating highly engaged Googlers.
Talented employees are passionate, and providing opportunities for them to pursue their passions improves their productivity and job satisfaction.
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 conversations between managers and employees never extend beyond reports, and 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? 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. He can be contacted at talentsmart.com.
This article first appeared at talentsmart.com.
