Almost every worker wants their dream job of working at a laid-back company that offers perks, flexibility and tangible benefits. However, there are certain business rules that are irreconcilable with a casual company culture.
Punctuality
Everyone is late sometimes, but employees who consistently show up late for work will negatively impact more than productivity. When an employee is chronically late, team members must cover their duties. This disrupts the natural flow of operations and can contribute to a growing tension and resentment. In the end, team morale will be lower and conflict may ensue.
Employees who are the face of the company, such as those in sales and customer service, may negatively impact public perception through their tardiness. Someone who is professional and well-prepared will instill confidence in customers. As long as management leads by example and clearly punishes chronic tardiness, most employees will behave properly.
Consistency is also a key component of punctuality. If any employee would face consequences for being late, every employee must be held to the same standard. There may be positions in your company where nobody calls on them and their work is based solely on final products instead of productivity, but that shouldn’t afford much leniency. If an employee in a more time-sensitive position sees that others are getting a pass, they could rightfully raise a complaint.
Management Training
The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) states that managers who are fair and consistent are the keys to avoiding most lawsuits. Managers who are friendly and approachable will engage employees more easily, but failure to document problems, address work conflicts, consistently apply policy and perform in-depth performance evaluations create opportunities for lawsuits.
For instance, a manager who ignores minor, daily conflicts because they want to maintain a harmonious atmosphere will create inevitable long-term conflict. Managers who appreciate employees and treat them with respect will still be able to maintain a laid-back environment if they are fair and consistent. Failure to do so may require the business to seek the assistance of commercial litigation attorneys.
A commercial litigation attorney is usually called on for contract disputes, partnership problems, and other high-level business transaction disputes. If your managers find themselves in breach of contract, even if it is an employee/employer contract, the employee may be within their rights to file a lawsuit. While an attorney can be of great use in these situations, the easiest solution is always to avoid those kinds of situations in the first place.
Employee Engagement
Research by Gallup reveals that up to 40 percent of workers are not enthusiastically engaged and productively involved in their work and employer. Employers appreciate laid-back companies that encourage creativity, independence, and self-monitoring. Some of the most successful tech companies spoil their staff with perks like indoor gyms, free massages, health centers, and in-house daycare centers.
However, companies that fail to hold employees accountable and properly monitor quality, productivity and customer satisfaction may create a workforce of lackadaisical staff who contribute to a variety of problems. Successful employee engagement is possible through a “work hard, play hard” attitude that demands efficiency and consistency while rewarding diligence and discipline.
As a final note, it’s important for management to seek out and challenge commendable staff to become future leaders. Some employees lack confidence and commitment, but the best managers will mentor, support and cultivate potential supervisors and team leaders.
