Workplace Bullying

On November 17, 2021   /   Back to Work, Business Etiquette, Empathy, Workplace Bullying   /   Leave a comment
Workplace Bullying

What happens to elementary school bullies?  In some cases, they grow up to be adult bullies who lurk in offices and workspaces doing what they’ve always done—tormenting their targets.

According to the Workplace Bully Institute (WBI), workplace bullying is defined as “repeated, health-harming mistreatment by one or more employees of an employee; abusive conduct that takes the form of verbal abuse; or behaviors perceived as threatening, intimidating, or humiliating; work sabotage.” 

The WBI also found in a 2021 study that 30% of employees are bullied in the workplace with 43% of remote workers enduring the same experience.  Bullying can result in qualified employees’ high absenteeism, lost productivity, lost revenues, and high turnover.

While harassment at work is illegal, bullying is not because harassment involves mistreatment based on a protected class such as religion, race, national origin, or sex.  

Workplace bullying takes on many forms including but not limited to:

  • Hostile or aggressive written and/or verbal communication
  • Withholding resources
  • Unrelenting criticism
  • Invasion of personal space
  • Non-verbal intimidation 

Often times, the bully is the target’s manager but the behavior can also occur among peers.

If you are bullied at work,

  • Address the situation in the moment
  • Say exactly what he/she is doing to you and why it’s a problem
  • Call the bully by name and use self-assured body language
  • Document all incidents including how you responded
  • Retain all emails, voice mail, and other communications 
  • Present your documentation to human resources.  Your documentation should include suggestions on how you would like to see the issue resolved

Through company culture and policies, this offensive and unacceptable behavior can be eradicated.

In the comments below, let us know if you’ve experienced bullying in the workplace and how you handled it.

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Thrive During Change in the Workplace

On November 3, 2021   /   Building Trust, Company Changes, Empathy   /   Leave a comment
Thrive During Change in the Workplace

Change.   Some people love it; others despise it.  Change in the workplace is inevitable.  Let’s be clear, companies must evolve in order to remain competitive.  So, how do employees learn to accept change AND thrive in the process?

From an employee’s perspective, it can be difficult to perceive opportunities that effective change brings to the company.  Also, they may not fully understand how improvements can advance their career.   Sometimes, employees focus on disruptions and their fears…nothing else.

To counteract negative feelings, encourage employees to look for the silver lining by identifying at least one positive outcome from the new way of doing things.  For example, what new skill will they learn? 

Focusing on self-care is essential to managing physical and emotional impacts of change in the workplace.  Encourage employees to:

  • Practice stress relieving techniques such as visualization, talking it out, meditation, etc.
  • Flexibility is key.  Help them identify ways to blend old practices with new ones

As a leader:

  • Create a psychologically safe environment for them to offer input/feedback
  • Be transparent
  • Be consistent with updates
  • Keep the lines of communication open…it fosters trust and inclusivity 
  • Create committees tasked with addressing the specifics on how the change will impact morale

Some people will be slower to adapt to change but that does not make them poor employees.  Slow adapters are still valuable team members and must be afforded extra time to accept change.  Employees and leaders working together position the company to thrive throughout the change process.

Talk to us in the comments below and remember…make it a great day!

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Healthy Obsession: The Client Experience

On October 20, 2021   /   Getting on Track to Meet Goals, How to Increase Customer Loyalty, Increasing Profits, Leadership   /   Leave a comment
Healthy Obsession: The Client Experience

In previous discussions we’ve touched on measuring customer satisfaction.  Let’s also explore how to close the gap between customer expectations and customer experiences.  The customer experience has several components ranging from packaging to logistics to employees performance. 

As an oversimplification, the customer experience can be described as how consumers view and receive a company’s brand.  Consistent positive experiences are the springboard to establising loyalty and creating a competitive advantage over competition.

Consumers want efficient service and quality products but they also want to do business with companies who share their values on topics such as diversity, ethics, and the environment.  Using data collected from customers through surveys and other means, companies can determine where they fall short.  Your approach to improve the situation must be holistic.  For example, data may show that customers think your marketing doesn’t influence them.  The fix will require re-examining your product/service as well as intangible systems such as empathy, etc.

Implementing a holistic approach to improve the customer experience also includes re-shaping your company’s principles regarding your:

  • Customer Service Philosophy
  • Vision Statement
  • Mission Statement
  • Core Values
  • Corporate Culture
  • Customer Experience Vision Statement

The customer experience vision statement will serve as the guiding light for every employee and will drive business decisions. Every employee plays a role in shaping the customer experience, therefore, all of these principles should be embedded in training and development…they must be at the core of every behavior and interaction.

Be obsessed with your customers’ experiences and make it a great day!

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Quality Customer Care on Social Media

On September 23, 2021   /   All Star Customer Satisfaction, Business Etiquette, Effective Communication, Uncategorized   /   Leave a comment
Quality Customer Care on Social Media

Dialing up the client services department to complain (or compliment) about your buying experience can be a hassle.  Let’s be honest, it’s just easier to use social media to convey good or bad consumer experiences to solve our problem.

Social media customer service was once a rarely used service channel, however, that has changed.  Companies are bringing customer service pages back to the internet.

According to Forbes Business Magazine, addressing service quality on a social media platform boosts a company’s brand.  When executed with empathy, it presents situations to the public that describes how the business treats its consumers (this can also be a golden opportunity to shine if you’re delivering exceptional quality care).

To thrive in commerce on the world wide web, your customer service had better be on point. So, consider this:

1) Identify which social media platform you’ll use to communicate with customers.  Ideally, it should be the same platform the majority of your customers currently use.

2) Decide on an appropriate response time.  How quickly will you commit to responding to your customers?  Most customers expect feedback within an hour.  Establish customer expectations with automated responses that identify turnaround time.  Post your service hours.

3) Make sure your company’s values are reflected when acknowledging customers criticisms. Coach employees on proper verbal and written tone of voice.  Offer specific examples and encourage role play to enhance the training.

4) Monitor conversations on your social media platforms in order to gain insight into public opinions about your business and products.  Use it to improve your weaknesses.

Tell us how social media has impacted your customer service delivery.

Remember, make it a great day!

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Cancel Culture and Customer Service

On August 25, 2021   /   Cancel Culture, Customer Service, Effective Communication   /   Leave a comment
Cancel Culture and Customer Service

According to Wikipedia.com, cancel culture is a form of “shunning or boycotting” an individual based on their egregious behavior or controversial statement. Undoubtedly you’ve heard of celebrities being “cancelled” and falling victim to cancel culture, but what about companies? Yes, companies have also gotten caught up in cancel culture. Look no further than your breakfast table and you’ll find examples of companies and brands such as Goya Foods, Aunt Jemima (Pearl Milling Co.), and Cream of Wheat that have recently faced such backlash.

Being prepared is a company’s best defense when it comes to cancel culture. First and foremost, hear your customer clearly and assess the gravity of the situation. Never underestimate the power and reach of social media. Baby boomers may mistakenly view social media as frivolous; however, it is important to actively monitor your social media for customer complaints. Addressing customer complaints quickly and properly is imperative. Using social media to solicit solutions from customers is a great way to show customers that you care and you’re listening.

Second, consider all the ways your message could be interpreted. This is one of the reasons diversity is important. Despite your intent, your message can be interpreted differently by others based on their life experiences and beliefs. Draw on your team’s diversity for feedback.

And finally, mistakes are bound to happen. But it is important to quickly address errors and accept responsibility. Offer an empathetic and genuine apology alongside your plan for improvement or prevention.

Now, let’s go out there and make it a great day!

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