Duct Tape and the Workplace

Duct tape was originally developed during World War II (in 1942) as a water resistant sealing tape for ammunition cases. The name "duct tape" came from its use on heating and air conditioning ducts….its strength, low cost, and remarkable versatility make it a household staple throughout North America and Europe for temporary repairs and general-purpose use. It would be fair to say that good ol’ duct tape is hard to live without it. The practicality of duct tape is widely accepted by handymen and the "fixit-challenged" alike. Basically, it’s the place to start when one has to make hasty repairs while waiting for a replacement part or finding time to do the full repair job properly. Duct tape is Step One in how far one must go to correct a problem, damaged system or unstable part... numero uno in a toolbox (after the pliers, of course).

So, what’s numero uno in the workplace toolbox? What keeps things together and working? My opinion?…courtesy and good manners. Serendipitously, as I was typing away at this, I noticed Rebecca R. Hastings had just penned a recent article for SHRM Magazine entitled Clear Expectations Can Prevent Incivility, Experts Say. Ms. Hastings writes that toxic behavior can spread with viral speed. Once identified, both employee and management behavior needs to be assessed for how it affects not only those who do the work but the amount of work completed, the pride with which one produces the work and the very quality of the work itself. When necessary, civility can be taught to those who are lacking in such skill. All behavioral complaints regardless of how insignificant they may sound must be taken seriously and treated immediately. The employing company has the responsibility of coaching when necessary and applauding when pleased with appropriate co-worker behavior. Alphas will still be alphas without a strident demeanor or withering comment to a subordinate. I must confess one of the things I love best about British television is the fact that there is still use of the classic power class language at play in much of the dialogue. A boss will glance piercingly at an underling and say in an ominous tone: “a word, please, _________” rather than “hey, get your butt in here!” True, in both instances the powerless employee knows there may be hell to pay but at least the tone is civil. Delivery of admonishment is often dark but not purposefully ill-mannered.

So, ultimately, good manners and treating others as one would like to be treated (just like Mom used to drill into us) is the duct tape that holds together a work unit, its production quality and the richness of an organization’s good reputation.

Prevention: Brush fires in the Office

I never fail to be amazed when a company, weakened from a recent bout of legal action, drags their collective tootsies in failing to set up a prevention program.

Wouldn’t most people agree that prevention is a far better idea than treatment, whether in medicine or business? Let me tell you a story…
Setting: a non-profit organization with employees in various locations, totaling 50-60 at any given time and primarily serving lower socio-economic demographic.

Management: Executive Director, Director of Finance and Director of Fund Raising, administrative staff, accounting staff, remote managers and their staff.

Recent History: the Human Resources office has been dissolved with the advent of outsourced benefits, training and misc. functions previously attributed to the HR role. The “savings” gained by no longer financing on-site HR was diverted into more robust fund raising efforts.

Right about the time the economy started sliding precariously down, sideways and in circles, our sweet little non-profit suffered an even more intimate blow of some magnitude.

One bright and sunny Sunday morning, one of our non-profit’s longer-term employees (with the company 3+ years) tepidly steps forward, to a member of her employer’s Board of Directors. This board member just happens to attend employee’s church. In a moment of contriteness, which came upon employee after a particularly inspiring sermon on the subject of personal responsibility to oneself and one’s neighbors, employee bends the ear of board member about “things” at work that have been making employee uncomfortable for some time.

The subject matter of employee’s confession ranges from simple yet distracting to complex and costly. As more and more details emerge, board member discovers enough information to pretty much ruin the rest of a bright and sunny Sunday.

Poor board member also has a full time profession… but, the bell has been rung and board member must now decide not just about the ring but also the echo.

Why wasn’t a report of “things” made long ago to those in charge? Company history strongly suggests a kill-the-messenger mentality on the part of those in seats of power. Remote management has not been monitored in some time and policy enforcement is lax at best. The list of “things” is never short in these instances. Generally, the confessor goes away feeling very purged and relieved while the object of the confessor’s blood-letting is trying to figure out how to mop up the mess…where to start!

So what were employee’s options (prior to the stirring sermon)? Hmm, could have put in a telephone call to the company’s HR Consulting Services, a phone that rings in suburban Dayton, Ohio. Alas, the employer is located in Colorado. Employee is not the least bit concerned that labor laws differ from state to state but more worried there is not a real, live human (attached to a name) to speak with, a name the employee can jot down and talk to over and over if need be. Dealing with a consulting service can prove effortless or it can mean repeating one’s story four times to four different people yet not feeling any resolution. For a workplace issue, is there any “there”, there? Employee’s boss does not “do” bad news well. It was not surprising therefore when employee discovered fellow parishioner served on the employer’s Board of Directors - finally some relief in a tight situation!

What next?

* Investigation
* Personnel placed on leave of absence (will they ever be seen again?)
* Bad publicity
* Organizational shake-ups
* General widespread stress and chaos accompanied by rumors, speculation and poor productivity from employees (who may also be madly searching through old emails for anything perceived as incriminating).

Where does Prevention fit? After the dust settles and employees once again know who is filling which job post, establish a third-party neutral information-center, a first line of defense, a safe place for anyone to tell all without worry or fear of retaliation. Conduct a thorough policy and procedure audit to find out what, if anything is working.

Brush fires are easier to extinguish and control than forest fires. When employees can’t sleep at night and feel uncomfortable coming to work, you’re way beyond asking for input on a survey.