By Prof. Manhar Arora (Expert in Human Resources) The workplace The workplace is the site where in employee works for an employer. The workplace is located in a variety of settings such as offices, manufacturing facilities or factories, stores, farms, out-of-doors and any such site where work is performed. At the workplace, there are a number of employees who work for an employer and form a team. All of us must have heard and read about teamwork at workplaces. Employees along with the employer form a team, who has been time and again given lectures and workshops to work in tandem and be a team player. As it is an ongoing process that employees join, resign and retire, and thus they bring in and take away the culture of team spirit along with them. It has been seen in many organizations that where there is a team spirit and where employees really work as a team, those organizations grow faster and accept new challenges with confidence. On the other hand, the organizations that lack team spirit, diminish slowly and put themselves in threat in the competitive market. It is understood by many that without collaborative team efforts, it is hard to get success in tough times. But still many organizations and their employees turn a blind eye to this concept. There must be some reasons that are pushing these employees away from team spirit and pulling the standalone working concept. THREE FACTORS THAT KILL TEAM SPIRIT It has been observed that there are three main menaces at the workplace, which could be held responsible for killing team spirit in organizations. These three menaces are part of workplace politics and they are – leg pulling, back stabbing and ear filling. It is hard to find an organization where these menaces are not present. This might be at any level, from the top management to class 4 employees, these menaces are strong in their DNA and infect those who do not have self control. In the present scenario, where everything is pace-oriented, where there is race to achieve and accumulate more than others in lesser time, can anyone expect self control in employees? It would be difficult, if not impossible. So chances of getting infected by these three menaces are high among employees. Employees may not be alone at fault, but many of them are responsible for encouraging these menaces. Many a times they inject these menaces into their fellow employees for their own selfish motives. Not to be quoted, but some administrators have these tactics to manage their organizations. LEG PULLING It is a highly infectious and contagious menace at workplaces. Leg pulling lowers the output of an individual and eventually affects the productivity of the organization. Common observation says individuals who do the leg pulling at the workplace pay less attention to their work. They are more interested in back biting. Such individuals find it difficult to concentrate on their work. They are more interested in spoiling the other person’s image in front of the seniors. They spend most of their times criticizing their fellow workers. As a result of leg pulling at the workplace, employees fail to achieve targets within the stipulated time and the work gets delayed in such an organization. BACK STABBING Again back stabbing is a dangerous phonemenon at the workplace. The causes of back stabbing could be agreed, selfishness, self proclaimed authority and unethical aspirations. The employees, who are infected by this menace, are extremely unsafe for the organizations. They can damage the image, brand and culture of the organization for their selfish objectives. It is clear that these employees are not having any ethics and when an employee shreds the ethics, any wrong practice is legitimate in his point of view. There is no good or bad for them, there is always individual profit or loss. Rest everything can be put at stake and risk. When an idea of back stabbing comes in the mind, it is an indication that the employee is losing his integrity, honesty and above all humanity. Many organizations have become history only because of back stabbing of employees at workplaces. A majority of employers don’t mind it, they think it is between two employees liking and disliking each other. Employers ignore it if they are benefited by back stabbing of an employee by any means. But in later stages, back stabbing eats the goodness or an organization. EAR FILLING Ear filling is again a highly communicable menace at workplaces and a majority of employees are infected by this menace, especially those who have less skills and want to enjoy without doing their work. They want importance and appreciation as a well wisher. It has been observed that a majority of employers love ear fillers. They implant ear fillers as their undercover agents to know what is happening in the organization. Who is comprising against the organization and who is loyal to the employer? Many a times, these ear fillers are official informers. When there is nothing official about anything, they become ear fillers and damages the culture. Employers and employees are warned to get rid of these three menaces as early as possible. These are the enemies of team spirit and can invite disaster for an organization. Do remember it takes years of sweat, efforts and capital to make an organization, but it takes only a few months to destroy it, when there is no team work and other menaces like these three enter in the culture of an organization. Get vaccinated now by inculcating and encouraging team spirit. Curtsy: The Hindustan Times
Posted on: Tue, 09 Sep 2014 16:23:48 +0000
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