How do you fix the toxic culture between manual workers and management?
For a lot of organisations, the blue collar staff or outside workers seem to be a group that are difficult to get onside. They fulfill the tasks that must be done for the organisation to survive but the relationship between them and management seems to be strained and sometimes at loggerheads.
So what can you do to change this situation? Shouldn't they just get on and do what they are told? Why do they seem to 'hate' management so much? Why is it so hard to get them to do anything over and above their job?
I'm pretty sure in the hiring process, we aren't looking for people who will become awkward and jaded in their view of management. However, people will normally adapt to the existing culture and for many organisations, this represents many years of avoidance and ignoring issues. A true 'them and us' culture exists and good luck to anyone who wants to try and change that!
Do these two things and you will notice the biggest change
For organisations who wish to truly make a change in this status quo, I have two suggestions that will be sure ways to start to break down these barriers and start a dialogue that could prove to be fruitful and alter a toxic culture that can exist between management and their staff.
These two suggestions are linked so there's no point trying to do one without the other. Firstly, get out and spend time with these team members. Put on whatever uniform is suitable, even some grubby clothes if necessary and plan to be with them all day. Get to see what they do. See them in their environment because that's the only way you will appreciate their contribution and that's the second thing that they crave - sincere appreciation for what they do. You cannot sincerely show appreciation when you don't fully understand what it is that they do.
That may seem pretty simple and yet that's basically what will make the biggest difference in shifting the awkward culture that exists and the poor relationship between management and workers. In organisations which I have worked with and this culture exists, that is what the message is from the workers: 'Managers don't know what we do. They don't understand what goes on. They don't appreciate what we have to put up with.'
The answer? Simple: Get every management level out of the office and spend time with the workers. Sure, that's a day or two a year gone - but what a return that investment can make! Spending time with these workers in their environment, getting your hands dirty and then expressing sincere appreciation for what they do will be the easiest and most productive way of motivating them and getting their buy-in moving forward. If you don;t believe me - give it a go. What have you got to lose?
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