Page 244 - An Indispensible Resource for Being a Credible Activist

The bad news is that if there is not intentional planning to create systems to avoid these
workplace dysfunctions, they will almost inevitably happen. This is not because human
beings or groups are inherently malevolent, but because the workplace is a unique environ-
ment directly linked to the survival of modern human beings. Moreover, absent a corporate
culture that clearly instructs employees and groups of employees in how to handle the
inevitability of conflict, competition, role confusion, and misunderstandings, dysfunction is
extremely likely. The good news is we can prevent this by implementing the linchpins of
competitive corporate governance.
To whatever extent any company of any size truly implements the linchpins of compet-
itive corporate governance, that is the extent the company will be successful. Conversely, to
whatever extent any company or company does not implement the linchpins of competitive
corporate governance, that is the extent to which it will experience dysfunction in the form
of lawsuits, regulatory fines, high turnover, low morale, employee complaints, inefficiency,
and a greater risk for workplace violence and workplace injuries and illnesses. Your com-
pany will be at much greater risk for being legally noncompliant, and your highly paid exec-
utive staff will spend very costly hours cleaning up the messes caused by these problems.
The good news is that there are proven preventative solutions to each of these, and we
have also learned that these solutions often lead to other solutions until an organization is
functioning optimally with sound, effective processes and systems in place. Behavior is con-
tagious; we will implement systems so that you can use this to your advantage.
One of the biggest unnecessary costs is workplace injuries. Work with your workers’
compensation insurance carrier’s representative and ask if the carrier will provide free, brief
safety and accident-prevention trainings to your staff with the promise of lowering your
workers’ compensation insurance rates on your policy as much as they can. Refer to the
HR Tool entitled “Checklist of Safety Training Programs,” on pages 229–234, at the end of
the chapter for some ideas for what kinds of training your staff might need. You can also
learn what kinds of safety training your staff may need by simply reviewing all of the work-
place injury paperwork that is on file at your company. After you’ve read this chapter, make
a list of 5 to 10 other things you can do in your company to cut unnecessary costs.
Brainstorm with your colleagues, your staff, and your leadership.

ADDRESS WORKPLACE CULTURE

To what extent is your workplace culture an open or closed system? Does the workplace sup-
port a learning culture? Are compliance issues considered to be genuinely important or nec-
essary evils? How are employees who raise concerns responded to? Does it matter who the
employee raising the concern is? What three words would employees use right now to
describe your workplace culture? Would employees at different levels use vastly different
words? Open systems and learning cultures are crucial to preventing conflict, preventing
compliance violations, preventing injury, and preventing lawsuits.
The budget is flat, hot, and crowded, too. When salaries cannot be raised, there is the
concept of velvet handcuffs. Google, Walgreen’s, Ben and Jerry’s, SAS Institute, and some
other companies have figured this out. There are inexpensive ways to create an efficient and

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