How unprofessional behaviour affects team morale and productivity
Unprofessional behaviour in the workplace significantly undermines team morale, productivity, and mental health, demanding strong leadership to address it.
Unprofessional behaviour in the workplace has serious consequences, including reduced productivity, increased stress, and weakened team dynamics. Here's what you need to know:
- Types of Behaviour: Common issues include workplace bullying, chronic lateness, knowledge hoarding, and aggressive communication.
- Impact on Teams: These behaviours damage trust, hinder collaboration, and lower morale, leading to lost productivity and higher staff turnover.
- Financial Costs: For example, bullying and harassment cost the NHS £2.3 billion annually.
- Mental Health Effects: Employees face higher stress, burnout, and absenteeism due to toxic workplace environments.
Leaders play a crucial role in addressing these issues by setting clear rules, providing constructive feedback, and fostering open communication. A respectful and professional workplace boosts morale, creativity, and overall success.
Negative Workplace Behaviors | Organizational Behaviors | From A Business Professor
How Bad Behaviour Spreads Through Teams
When unprofessional behaviour takes root in a team, it can ripple through the group, undermining relationships and productivity in ways that are hard to ignore.
Damage to Teamwork and Trust
Unprofessional actions can chip away at teamwork by discouraging open communication, isolating individuals, and straining professional relationships. Research has highlighted just how disruptive this can be to workplace dynamics:
| Impact Area | Consequence | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | Reduced information sharing | 30% of cases impact patient safety |
| Team Cohesion | Increased conflict and isolation | 38% of staff report this weekly |
| Professional Relations | Breakdown in collaboration | 89% experience damaged relationships |
When trust erodes, team members often hold back from sharing ideas or taking risks, which stifles creativity and progress. This lack of collaboration and openness inevitably affects overall productivity.
Measuring Lost Productivity
The financial toll of unprofessional behaviour is staggering. In the UK's National Health Service (NHS), bullying and harassment alone are estimated to cost £2.3 billion annually. These costs stem from factors like employee turnover, decreased productivity, conflict resolution efforts, and handling formal complaints.
The impact extends beyond the financials. Research reveals that surgical teams with members flagged for unprofessional conduct face a 14.3% higher complication rate compared to teams without such reports. These statistics highlight not just the monetary losses but also the human cost, with staff and patients alike bearing the consequences.
Mental Health Impact on Staff
The effects of unprofessional behaviour reach deep into the wellbeing of employees, weakening team performance and morale. A recent study found that 63% of female and 24% of male surgical staff in the UK reported experiencing sexual harassment.
"Civility in the workplace is one of the most underrated yet powerful factors influencing organisational culture, employee engagement, and overall success." – Gordon Loeb, Loeb Leadership
The mental health fallout includes:
- Elevated stress and anxiety
- Lower job satisfaction
- Increased burnout rates
- Reduced motivation and engagement
- Higher absenteeism
This creates a vicious cycle: stressed and demotivated employees are more likely to exhibit unprofessional behaviour themselves, perpetuating the problem. Addressing these issues demands decisive action and strong leadership - a topic we'll delve into in the following sections.
Behaviours That Hurt Team Performance
Certain behaviours can significantly undermine team dynamics and overall effectiveness, especially when unprofessional conduct is left unchecked.
Poor Communication Habits
Ineffective communication is a major obstacle to workplace success, with research revealing it plays a role in 86% of workplace failures. This not only disrupts team cohesion but also fosters confusion and mistrust.
Failing to share vital information or delaying updates can leave colleagues feeling uncertain. Dr. Lilit Ayrapetyan, a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, highlights how damaging poor listening can be:
"It may seem like a small thing, but one of the worst communication habits to have when it comes to professional communication is not listening - and by listening, I mean truly, actively listening... When someone fails to really listen to their colleagues, it not only leads to misunderstandings and errors but can also create an environment where others feel undervalued and ignored."
Common communication issues and their consequences include:
| Communication Issue | Impact on Team | Statistic |
|---|---|---|
| Interrupting Others | Reduced engagement | 24% of staff report this as their primary issue |
| Unclear Instructions | Increased task errors | 39% disengage when directions are unclear |
| Poor Meeting Etiquette | Lost productivity | Poor communication costs businesses up to approximately £315 billion annually |
These habits not only disrupt workflows but can also damage morale. However, communication isn’t the only area where behaviours falter.
Avoiding Responsibility
Dodging accountability can have a ripple effect on a team’s output. Research shows that when individuals avoid responsibility, overall productivity can drop by 18%, and just one underperformer can reduce team output by as much as 25%.
The consequences of evading accountability include:
- Delayed or abandoned tasks
- Declining quality standards
- A lack of new ideas and progress
- Slower decision-making processes
Harry S. Truman’s famous quote, "The buck stops here", underscores the importance of personal accountability. When team members shirk responsibility, it can demoralise high performers, ultimately dragging down the entire team’s effectiveness.
Unfair Treatment and Exclusion
Unfair treatment adds another layer of dysfunction, compounding the effects of poor communication and a lack of accountability. Practices like excluding colleagues from important discussions, favouring certain individuals, dismissing contributions, or forming cliques can be toxic to team morale.
The benefits of inclusivity are clear: companies with diverse and inclusive teams are 35% more likely to outperform their competitors. In contrast, exclusionary behaviours can lead to:
- Increased staff turnover
- Higher recruitment costs
- Legal risks
- A damaged reputation
- Reduced creativity and innovation
Leaders play a crucial role in addressing these issues. As Steve Gruenert and Todd Whitaker aptly put it, "The culture of any organization is shaped by the worst behaviour the leader is willing to tolerate". By setting clear expectations and addressing unfair treatment swiftly, leaders can protect both team cohesion and productivity.
How Leaders Can Fix Bad Behaviour
When unprofessional conduct disrupts the workplace, strong leadership becomes essential to restoring respect and productivity. Leaders play a critical role in reversing the negative effects of such behaviour by establishing clear expectations and holding everyone accountable.
Setting Clear Conduct Rules
Establishing well-defined behavioural guidelines is a crucial first step. Harvard Business School Professor Nien-hê Hsieh highlights the broader responsibility leaders hold:
"Being a leader involves responsibility for others. As a leader, you'll want to create a culture not just of legal and regulatory compliance but more fundamentally grounded in reliability, ethics, and goodwill."
These guidelines should address communication, performance, and professionalism, leaving little room for ambiguity. Clarity and consistency are key. Teresa Kallman, SPHR, elaborates on the importance of explaining the rationale behind such rules:
"Ensure employees and managers understand why a rule or policy exists and the impact that compliance with that rule or policy has on the business. Employees are more likely to buy into following the rules when they understand why it's important, and how it benefits them. Explaining to an employee why being on time for work is important, and the impact they have on the business when they are late can demonstrate the link between their behavior and business results."
When employees see the connection between their actions and the organisation’s success, they are more likely to align with these standards.
Using SBI Feedback Effectively
The Situation-Behaviour-Impact (SBI) model offers a structured way to deliver feedback that is both clear and constructive. Here’s how it works:
- Situation: Specify the context, such as the time, place, or circumstances.
- Behaviour: Describe the actions observed, avoiding any personal judgement.
- Impact: Explain the tangible effects of those actions on the team, productivity, or workplace atmosphere.
Consider this example:
"During the virtual team meeting on Tuesday, you interrupted your colleague several times. You spoke over them and didn't allow them to finish their thoughts. It disrupted the flow of the meeting and made your colleague feel disrespected."
This kind of feedback is direct yet respectful, helping the recipient understand the issue without feeling attacked. It also lays the groundwork for a more inclusive and respectful workplace.
Creating Safe Discussion Spaces
Psychological safety is essential for fostering open and honest communication. Leaders can create this environment by:
- Holding regular meetings and maintaining open communication channels to encourage feedback
- Practising active listening, using techniques like mirroring and asking open-ended questions
Experts on workplace dynamics offer this perspective:
"Psychological safety in the workplace doesn't mean that everybody is nice to each other all the time. Rather, it means that people feel free to brainstorm out loud, voice half-finished thoughts, openly challenge the status quo, share feedback, and work through disagreements together - knowing that leaders value honesty, candor, and truth-telling, and that team members will have one another's backs."
Leaders can further reinforce this atmosphere by sharing their own challenges and inviting others to do the same. When leaders model openness and vulnerability, it encourages team members to contribute ideas and address problems in a constructive way. This collaborative approach not only resolves conflicts but also strengthens the team as a whole.
Conclusion: Building Better Team Behaviour
The link between professional behaviour and workplace success is clear. High employee satisfaction can increase profitability by 21% and boost productivity by 12%. These figures highlight the importance of fostering a positive organisational culture and pave the way for practical leadership strategies.
"If I have a career path and a leader and a company that focused on my development to continue to grow me, that is far and away when you're going to have the highest morale. Then you know you matter. Then you know, 'I can be here long term, my leader cares about me, my company cares about me, and the work I do, it matters.'"
To create a workplace where employees thrive, change requires focused effort in three key areas:
- Leadership Commitment: Leaders must set the tone by consistently demonstrating respect, active listening, and professionalism. These actions build trust and create a culture of accountability.
- Systematic Measurement: Regularly tracking employee engagement and workplace dynamics is essential. This is particularly pressing given that only 33% of employees currently feel "engaged" at work.
- Continuous Development: Providing training in areas like civility, emotional intelligence, and conflict resolution equips teams to collaborate effectively and reduces friction.
Together, these steps create a framework for lasting improvements in team behaviour and workplace morale.
"The culture of any organisation is shaped by the worst behaviour the leader is willing to tolerate".
FAQs
What can leaders do to address and prevent unprofessional behaviour in the workplace?
Leaders play a crucial role in addressing and preventing unprofessional behaviour by establishing clear workplace policies and guidelines. These should detail what is considered acceptable conduct while emphasising mutual respect and accountability among team members.
Equally important is leading by example. When leaders consistently display professionalism, they set the tone for the entire team. Creating a safe and open environment where employees feel comfortable voicing concerns is another key step. Tackling issues quickly and decisively demonstrates the organisation's commitment to maintaining a respectful and cooperative workplace.
Offering regular training sessions or workshops can further help employees recognise how their behaviour influences team morale and productivity. By nurturing a culture grounded in respect and professionalism, leaders can build a positive and effective team dynamic.
How can teams improve communication and accountability in the workplace?
Improving workplace communication and accountability begins with creating an environment where open dialogue is the norm. Regular team check-ins or meetings provide a platform for sharing updates, addressing challenges, and ensuring everyone is aligned on objectives. This approach not only promotes clearer communication but also fosters a collective sense of responsibility within the team.
Equally crucial is the need to define roles and expectations clearly. When team members know exactly what is expected of them, confusion is minimised, and tasks are completed more efficiently. Encouraging constructive feedback and cultivating a space where people feel confident sharing ideas or raising concerns can further strengthen trust and teamwork.
In addition, using collaborative tools to track tasks and deadlines can help keep everyone organised and accountable. By adopting these practices, teams can enhance communication and work together more effectively.
How does unprofessional behaviour affect employees' mental health, and how can organisations provide support?
Unprofessional behaviour in the workplace can take a serious toll on employees' mental well-being, often leading to stress, anxiety, and even burnout. It erodes trust, weakens team dynamics, and fosters a toxic atmosphere where individuals might feel undervalued or disconnected from their roles.
To help employees impacted by such behaviour, organisations can take meaningful actions:
- ✓ Encourage open communication, creating a safe space for employees to voice concerns.
- ✓ Provide access to mental health support, such as counselling services or employee assistance programmes.
- ✓ Implement clear policies to address and prevent inappropriate workplace conduct.
- ✓ Deliver training on ethical behaviour and conflict resolution to nurture a more respectful and collaborative culture.
By prioritising these measures, organisations can build a supportive environment where employees feel valued, paving the way for improved morale and productivity.