1. Onboarding
Workplace problems can start on day one. New employees may be affected by a poorly planned onboarding experience or lack of clarity. This can result in increased employee turnover, leading to reduced productivity at work. Unfortunately, if new hires feel unproductive or unsupported, they are far more likely to leave. This is a major problem as it costs an <a href="https://www.accountsandlegal.co.uk/small-business-advice/average-employee-cost-smes-12-000-to-replace">SME around £12,000</a> to replace an employee.In the case of onboarding, it’s always a good idea to sacrifice some time at the start to ensure your new employee is sufficiently settled. There is a lot of training and software available to make the onboarding process as seamless and as useful as possible!Implement an effective onboarding programme. Take the time to introduce a new employee to their teams and colleagues, and provide a workplace schedule. The key is to make them feel welcome, and reduce anxiety. Effective onboarding takes time. For many, the onboarding experience continues throughout the first year. Support your employees, and they will repay you with improved workplace culture and productivity. A successful onboarding process will <a href="https://thecircularboard.com/uk-employee-onboarding-statistics/">increase employee retention rates by 82%</a>.
2. Lack of colleague communication and organisation
This all too common issue ties in with the previous problem. If the onboarding process is unstructured, you are likely to face the same problem with the general communication between managers and colleagues beyond the training period. Unclear messages lead to entirely preventable communication issues, impacting on productivity. Miscommunication results in mistakes, missed deadlines, and distractions.Fortunately, a wide range of software and applications are available to facilitate communication between colleagues. These tools help with task assignment and submission, and payroll, among other things, which are much more efficient than outdated methods like email. A great example is the software <a href="https://monday.com/">‘Monday’.</a> It allows for quick communication between colleagues, task setting and monitoring, and time management.
3. Ineffective training
By disregarding the importance of effective training for new employees, you are exposing yourself to the consequences of workplace problems. A lack of effective<a href="https://bestatdigital.com/2022/02/24/whats-the-next-big-trend-in-e-learning-and-corporate-training/"> training</a> when starting a new role will have a negative impact on employees. Motivation, both team and individual, performance, revenue and ability to retain employees will all take a hit. In some cases, a new hire can be <a href="https://www.accountsandlegal.co.uk/small-business-advice/average-employee-cost-smes-12-000-to-replace">more expensive</a> than retaining an existing employee, hence the importance of keeping them happy and motivated. Due to the busy schedules within today’s workplaces, some companies opt to use online training. This approach is much more advanced today than even just a few years ago. Therefore, training of this type is an attractive option to employers. But not all training regimes are equal, and it’s important to do your research to find one that fits your needs. By investing in the right kind of software, you are demonstrating to employees that they are valued within a company, increasing their happiness and motivation levels. Again, preventing these types of workplace problems.
4. Lack of motivation and engagement
From a certain viewpoint, this workplace problem is a direct effect of the above issues: Put simply, a combination of poor training, no communication or organisation, and inadequate onboarding will halt motivation. Only <a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/241649/employee-engagement-rise.aspx">34% of employees feel actively engaged</a> with their work, and <a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/241649/employee-engagement-rise.aspx">13% report</a> feeling actively disengaged. An employee who doesn’t feel welcome, adequately trained, or with a clear idea of workplace tasks and expectations, will be neither motivated nor productive. Therefore, the solution is simple. Change the former, and watch the latter improve. A happy employee/team will be much more engaged in tasks, with a truer sense of purpose, responsibility and pride in their work, leading to eventual financial gain for the company.
5. Unconscious bias and workplace discrimination
Perhaps the most serious workplace problems faced by employees is discrimination, both conscious and unconscious. Biases due to age or physical appearance, and even more seriously, factors such as race and gender, are prevalent in some workplaces. This issue can occur as early as in the hiring process. A study showed that white applicants receive on average <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/114/41/10870">36% more callbacks</a> than other ethnicities. Within the workplace, these biases can create unfair advantages for some employees, others from accessing opportunities to learn and progress, regardless of ability. To help combat this, managers should access and share resources on avoiding biases, also adopting a zero-tolerance approach to discrimination in the workplace. It’s important that managers communicate expectations around unconscious bias, and take an active role in eliminating it.
At BestAtDigital, we believe that workplace issues are due to bad habits rather than bad intentions. We incorporate behavioural science and innovative technology to identify and change workplace habits and practices. We think training is key to improving workplace culture, productivity and engagement. Get in touch with us today to discuss your workplace training needs.
