Jenni Gilbert Bullying in the workplace can take many forms. Just as devastating as verbal harassment for some employees is the act of being excluded, and can create a counterproductive knock-on effect across the entire business. Jay Chapman of Zing Coach business consulting* explains how to nip this behaviour in the bud.
You likely hire the therapists for your salon, spa or clinic from a wide range of ages, ethnic groups and religions, as well as personalities.
The nature of your business means everyone in your team will be working very closely together – and, inevitably, various individuals may not get along.
This includes the elusive “outsider”; that team member who doesn’t quite fit in, even though they may be excellent at what they do and build a large client following.
This is the team member who is excluded from in-house banter and isn’t invited to private social events, even though these get-togethers are quite often the topic of conversation in the salon. This can be very hurtful or humiliating to the person who is left out.
Ultimately this leads to the outsider feeling very alienated and may end in them giving notice.
Diversity in the workplace is becoming more common for a few reasons.
We are not all cut from the same cloth and have the freedom to express ourselves how we choose. We are a more outspoken society then what we used to be.
Team this with a stagnant amount of people entering our industry and we are left with no choice but to diversify within our teams.
The reason particular staff members don’t get along may be based purely on not accepting each others’ differences.
Yet you can teach your team how to work together professionally and be civil.
You can’t expect them to be braiding each others’ hair and having sleepovers. However, being able to communicate positively in the work place is crucial, not just an option.
This begs the question – what do you do if you have a team member that doesn’t quite fit in?
Firstly, your team needs to appreciate that not everyone is the same as them. If this was the case, it would be a very boring workplace.
I have never expected my team to have to play “happy families”. The reality is, each team member will connect with some more then others. We are all human.
If you notice that there is exclusion happening in your workplace it is up to you to nip this in the bud, and quickly.
If you have issues and that are left to fester, only negatives with come from an environment that is lacking in communication within the team.
The most effective way to bring your team together is to lead by example. This will make it difficult for your team to be negative when you are seen to be supportive of everyone’s differences and a supportive role model. Monkey see, monkey do.
Positive and frequent communication is key in bringing your team together.
How often do you have team meetings? How often do you sit down with each team member one on one to really find out how the dynamic of the team is working for them?
You cannot fix what you are not aware of, so this needs to be your starting point today.
Can you remember when you were a child and you would see your teacher on the weekend walking their dog, or shopping at the supermarket? My goodness they were a real person!?
My advice is to take your team out for a catch up after work hours, in an environment that allows you to see each other for who they really are: real people with families, real feelings and lives outside the confines of the workplace.
Lastly, remember that you won’t see change overnight. To build a cohesive team takes time and change in which everyone responds differently.
You are the business owner and it is so important to lead by example, taking ownership and accountability.
Understand that everything that happens in your business is directly related back to you.
CASE STUDY
One of my coaching clients, a salon owner, was worried by the “silent treatment” a staff member was getting from the rest of the team at her salon.
Said staff member was being shunned because she had been given a promotion to 2IC in the owner’s absence.
We created a policies and procedures for the owner using the following strategies to help nip the problem in the bud:
- Address the situation ASAP! The more time that passes the more the issue will fester. You don’t want a bullying case on your hands.
- Approach the team members involved. Awareness and clarity is half the problem fixed – you need to have a clear understanding of the situation that is unfolding, and why it happened in the first place.
- Sit the team down for an honest and open discussion. You need to mediate and make sure everyone keeps their cool, as well as advise how you want them to interact with each other. Provide them with coping “tools” so they can move on from the issue.
- Review – the most important step. Check in with each team member a week or so (but not too long) later to see if the issue has improved. If not, start the process again.
Having these guidelines in place gave my client confidence that, if a similar event was to take place in future, she had a plan to address it. Best of all, it was effective!
Like all good things in life, in this case the result wasn’t instant. The team had to adjust – some people move on from conflict quicker than others.
However, it created awareness within the salon that exclusionary behaviour was simply not tolerated.
A week later the team was working together as a unit again.
However, as I said earlier, it’s not about playing happy families. It’s working together as a team in a positive environment.
* Zing Coach offers hair and beauty salon business coaching, to help owners and managers transform their business to be effective and profitable.
