Civility in the Workplace

That’s a paraphrased quote from an evaluation. There’s an attitude in that quote.

The good news is the person has recognized change. Sometimes we don’t surface from the day to day work to see changes in tools and culture.

It helps me to think of it this way: Would I want to be on unemployment compensation forever? Would I want my children to always be ages one, three and five? Would I want a yard full of leaves all the time? All those things have happened; only the leaves are current.

How we respond
How have the tools in your job changed? The clients, the economy? Have you changed with them? Those who are stuck as if always at one age or season make work difficult for others. If I insisted on writing for the Web the same way I learned to write for newspapers, I would not be helping my employer or learning anything new. And more important, I would not be writing the way today’s public scans text on the Web.

If I didn’t listen to the people who embrace social media, would I be helping my organization stay viable? The questions should not be ‘what am I comfortable doing?’ or ‘what do I personally know and like?’

What will delight the client?
What do people want to know and how do they want the information? Those are the right questions.

That’s civility—thinking of others rather than being oblivious to or resisting change.

Posted by Lynette Spicer at 07:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

56% are happy or totally happy with their lives in general.
35% are happy or totally happy with their jobs.
--American Pulse Survey by BIGresearch in Sept. 2009 (6,976 people interviewed)

It’s Pursuit of Happiness Week, the second week in November
A company’s biggest asset walks out the doors each evening or at the end of each shift. How much do employees contribute if they are neutral about how happy they are with their jobs (36%) or unhappy (13%) or totally unhappy (17%)?

Employee happiness benefits the company
Workers who are happy with their jobs increase production, pass along happiness to customers, are absent from work less, communicate honestly and effectively and are more committed to their company because they feel they are an integral component.

Managers, directors and CEOs should take notice
If more than 60% of the American workforce is not very enthused about going to work each day, shouldn’t someone take notice?

Most people have annual performance reviews. What if employers added an annual performance review by the workers of their work unit and their company? It could be as simple as an online survey with a text box or two to write in comments.

Employee satisfaction surveys would improve communication. They should provide some ideas on how to improve the workplace. Civility in the workplace includes good communication and respecting all people. If a company’s largest asset isn’t happy in the workplace, that’s an opportunity to make changes to benefit both the company and the workers. It could be downright enlightening to hear what the workers think and suggestions they would make.

Related post
The seven key needs of employees

Posted by Lynette Spicer at 06:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Try to find a place for a computer you’ve carried on the plane as your one piece of luggage.

People are in the aisles trying to smash full-size suitcases in overhead bins. They’re blocking the aisle. Stewards and stewardesses are relegated to acting like playground supervisors, asking people to step aside so other passengers can board and find their seats.

The passengers with over-sized luggage didn’t pay the fee, $20 or so, to check their bag. Do you ever wonder why we have rules?

The passengers with too many and oversize bags are uncivil. They’re disruptive to the passengers who paid to check their luggage. Their luggage may be a safety hazard. They are an impediment to a plane departing on schedule.

U.S. airlines don’t have rules or do little to enforce rules about number of carry-on pieces, weight or size. That needs to change unless people can police themselves.

Until that happens, I encourage you to take the path of civility. Pack less or check your luggage. Civility or money—which is more important?

USA Today, For air travelers, a 'fight for the overheads'
Bag fees, crowded jets mean bins are packed

Posted by Lynette Spicer at 07:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

We have excuses. Too busy to thank someone who helped. It’s not convenient to go that route. We don’t have time to help others.

You have to start somewhere in doing the important things in life. Being a citizen who votes should be at the top of any American’s list. Read up on the candidates and where to vote. Do it. It’s an act of civility for your community and its future.

Posted by Lynette Spicer at 06:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Software reflects an organization’s values. That was the title of a presentation last week by Jason Young from North Carolina State University and IT systems manager for eXtension. He said computer software comes with a code that establishes the rules you have to live by.

Think about software a bit. Who has permission to change code? Who has permission to edit the copy on a Web page? How difficult is it to get permission to do those things? The software and the answers to these questions tell you a great deal about an organization’s values. It may be controlling and hierarchal or it may be collaborative and open.

eXtension uses MediaWiki, the software of Wikipedia. That means anyone within a work group can edit. Everyone can see the history log of who made changes and when. eXtension staff meeting notes are posted on the wiki. Anyone in the Cooperative Extension System nationwide can read the notes. What is the culture? What are the values? It’s collaborative, open and honest communication.

Two value examples from about.com
1. If you value integrity and you experience a quality problem in your manufacturing process, you honestly inform your customer of the exact nature of the problem. You discuss your actions to eliminate the problem, and the anticipated delivery time the customer can expect. If integrity is not a fundamental value, you may make excuses and mislead the customer.

2. If you value equality and a sense of family, you will wipe out the physical trappings of power, status, and inequality such as executive parking places and offices that grow larger by a foot with every promotion.
http://humanresources.about.com/od/strategicplanning1/a/organizvalues.htm

More about values
Traditional 20th-Century Organization: A Machine-Like Entity vs. The Values-Based Organization: A Living, Breathing Community

Proof of values
Anyone can say they have specific values in their organization, but the proof is in the processes and the culture. That’s integrity—stating what you believe, telling others that is what you believe and acting it out.

Do you have examples of values displayed in work processes and cultures?

Posted by Lynette Spicer at 07:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)