Avoide of these 7 Connection Killers in Your Workplace

Brief 

One of the biggest connection killers is layoffs, not just because it sends some team members away, but it leaves those who remain in need of reassurance that their job is safe. “Rather than laying people off, it’s preferable to find other ways to reduce costs,” they advise.

Insight

If you are seeking to develop a Connection Culture in your workplace, then you need to not only proactively take actions that build connection, but also avoid actions that destroy it. Sometimes, we have blind spots that make it difficult to identify “connection killer” habits.

Are any of these common issues getting in the way of your efforts to infuse connection into your work environment or feel meaningfully connected with your colleagues? While different, each hinders or kills connection as it puts a wedge between leaders and those being led.

Some shake the confidence of employees, some convey an “us versus them” mentality, some have the effect of communicating that an employee is only needed to do what he or she is told to do. They separate people rather than drawing them together.

While you may not be in a role that allows you to tackle each head on, it’s good to be aware of the damage they may be doing.

1. LAYOFFS

Granted, sometimes layoffs are unavoidable so that a trimmed-down version of the organization can survive. In the case of several large organizations that recently publicly announced they are laying off people, the rationale provided was an anticipation of declining demand and an economic recession.

Layoffs are to be avoided if at all possible because they diminish the connection people feel to the organization and its leaders. Layoffs communicate that the leadership team doesn’t value people and valuing people is the heart of a connection culture.

For those who remain, fear and insecurity can creep in. If that department can be shut down or a significant number of people let go across the board, how secure are the rest of us? Should I start looking for a different job? Rather than laying people off, it’s preferable to find other ways to reduce costs, including temporarily reducing the pay of leaders in order to save jobs. (See example of FCB New Zealand.)