CULTURE CLUB is our regular column in which YOUR workplace culture questions are answered by experts Merly and Michelle. Well & Being co-founder Merly Kammerling is an ex-chef who has been offering psychological support and training since 2018. Well & Being’s leadership specialist is Michelle Moreno who has over 25 years of experience in leadership and operations. Between them, they have worked with businesses such as Soho House, Leon, Trinity, Accor Group, Brunswick House, Ministry of Sound, William Grant and Electric Mayonnaise.

THE QUESTION

“I’ve got a couple of people in the team who really aren’t on board with our culture, and it affects everyone else – particularly new hires, who they can really destabilise. How can I try to get more buy-in from them, and/or prevent others from being negatively affected?”

THE ANSWERS

Michelle:

When individuals have a destabilising effect on the team, especially new hires, it’s important to tackle the problem head-on. So, let’s explore a few strategies you can use to tackle this issue.

For buy-in with individuals who are not bought in:

Share Your Vision: Start by having an open conversation with your team regarding what your culture means to you. Share 3 to 5 examples of positive behaviours that reflect your culture, and also 3 to 5 examples of what doesn’t align with your culture.

Check for Misunderstandings: They might not fully understand your expectations, or there could be mixed messages within the team. Clarify any inconsistencies and listen to their perspective, where do they feel the culture is or is not being met?

Stay Connected: Suggest meeting again in about 10 days to see how things are going. Use this time to discuss any improvements and adjustments, and to support each other in fostering a positive culture across the board.

For Buy-In Across the teams and general culture:

This often comes from engagement. Below you will see the Employee Engagement Model. The pie chart describes the typical proportions of engagement and disengagement across most teams. As you can see, it is normal to have ‘crash and burners’ and ‘disengagers’ exist within the team/ teams (at least at some point) and it’s not realistic to assume or expect that every single employee will be completely and constantly engaged.  However, you have the control to improve or worsen these proportions within the business.

Engaged – With You All the Way
These team members are fully aligned, motivated, and happy. They positively influence their colleagues and contribute to the business’s success. Keep paying attention to them, listening, encouraging and recognising their influence, and supporting their development.  Don’t forget about them or take them for granted.

Almost Engaged – Opportunity
These individuals are intrigued and interested but may need more information or opportunities to feel fully included. Listen to them, find out what they need, and involve them more in the company’s activities. Investing in them will likely lead to reciprocation and bolstering of buy-in and culture.

Honeymooners and Steadies – Train and Appreciate
Honeymooners are new team members who need regular check-ins and support, they are an opportunity to set an example of culture. Steadies are loyal and consistent team members who aren’t looking for a promotion or development but still need praise and appreciation.

Crash and Burners – Need to Talk and Support
These team members may feel overwhelmed for many reasons and this might be partly due to your actions. These might include high expectations, lack of training and feedback, or various personal issues or responsibilities. Have a conversation to understand their needs and create an action plan to support them. They are looking for help and will try to buy-in if seen.

Disengaged – Sadly, Time is Up
If someone is completely disengaged, and again this might have been attributed by the company, it might be best for them to move on. Have an honest, calm conversation to help them see that leaving might be the best option for everyone. It’s challenging to re-engage and get buy-in from someone who has fully checked out and this can have a huge negative impact on others trying to buy in.

Merly:

Negative attitudes and behaviours towards the business, culture and other employees is common among disengaged employees. It can have a problematic snowball effect on the team, morale and atmosphere. What’s proactive and positive is that you are trying to nip this in the bud now as it is much easier to find solutions when it’s a couple of disengaged individuals rather than a whole team.

Below, I’ve added a list of the main reasons for disengagement in the workplace. You can use this as a checklist for reflection as a business and as a starting point of direct discussion and exploration with these two individuals. If you want to dig deeper, you could use this list as the basis of an anonymous employee survey. Only communication and action can create an opportunity for reestablishing their engagement and your working relationship.

Disengagement can be a sign of the phenomenon ‘quietly quitting’ and sometimes the issue can’t be resolved despite your best efforts. But regardless, this is a great opportunity to learn and move forward as a business and a culture. Issues such as this are rarely one-sided and if overlooked may very well rear its head again or just get worse. The aim of this list is not to overwhelm yourself by thinking you need to resolve everything on this list all at once, but rather serve as a starting point towards performing a process of elimination regarding what the primary root/ roots of the cause may be and what realistic and actionable steps need to be taken now.

1. Lack of communication regarding expectation and performance.
2. Poor management.
3. The company’s failure to give its employees purposeful, meaningful work to perform or the company’s vision doesn’t resonate with employees.
4. A business’s failure to follow through on stated company values.
5. Limited opportunity for teamwork and collaboration.
6. Boredom/ stagnation.
7. Poor leadership and failure to create a culture that values all aspects of employee positions (instead of only respecting an exclusive few).
8. Lack of Recognition and acknowledgement of an employee’s work and efforts.
9. Lack of feedback and guidance from the employer.
10. Inadequate pay or lack of wages that they deserve.
11. Insufficient Training and Development.
12. An excessive and unrealistic workload.
13. Lack of flexibility on rotas.
14. Limited tools and resources to support job efficacy.
15. Few opportunities for personal expression and contribution to the operations of the business.
16. Over- or underqualified and under-supported/ overlooked.
17. A lack of interest, enthusiasm or concern due to personal circumstances.
18. Abusive environments and/ or lack of physical, and emotional safety/ support.
19. Personal space and workspace challenges which decrease efficacy, productivity and motivation.
20. Employees have minimal empowerment or autonomy to make decisions or take ownership of their work.
21. Lack of Respect from managers or co-workers. (Or the employee may demonstrate little regard for managers or co-workers).

Michelle’s conclusion:

Using the employee engagement checklist (above) and creating your own Employee Engagement Model of where your team sits on the pie chart today could be instrumental in understanding how to gain buy-in from team members and mitigating the negative effects of disengaged individuals.

This targeted approach allows for tailored interventions, reinforces positive behaviours, and proactively manages “not-on-board” team members, ultimately fostering a more inclusive and stable team and culture across the business as a whole. Remember, communication and delivering on your proposed actions are key.