Turn around destructive behaviour at work

There is a huge difference between behaviour that is motivated by a desire to achieve success and that which is an attempt to avoid failure.

Decreases in efficiency are accompanied by increases in litigation, staff turnover and absenteeism

If the NHS is to drive sustainable quality improvements, we must embrace the former, though concerns about impending financial challenges will tend to encourage the latter. This is human nature - we are hard-wired to beware danger.

Anxiety about failure can fuel stress at work which, in turn, leads to negative behaviours and excessive managerial control.

Organisations that survive economic downturns tend to sustain positive and supportive cultures, underpinned by visionary leadership, shared responsibility and reward of initiative and innovation.

This is highly important with regard to performance management - the quality, innovation, productivity and prevention (QIPP) initiative is only likely to succeed in a supportive climate where staff at all levels share a positive vision.

This is a challenge. Recessions inevitably lead to increased competition for resources and cost cutting, usually followed by the trauma of restructuring.

This can easily lead to a climate of fear that undermines staff confidence and can push failing organisations into a downward spiral, based on self-perpetuating negative feedback. The result can be burnout and negative behaviour, paralysis in decision making, back covering and falling productivity.

Decreases in efficiency are accompanied by increases in litigation, staff turnover and absenteeism due to stress related illness. This has been estimated to cost UK plc £13.5bn a year. The Department of Health has estimated the annual cost of bullying to the NHS at £325m.

Our experience suggests that these are serious underestimations of the size and knock-on costs of the problem.

So, how can we reverse the negative downward spiral and create a positive environment where sustainable approaches to performance management can develop? We have found this staged approach to be effective:

1. Taking the temperature

The first step is to assess the problem, through surveys. A negative behaviour audit assesses subjective staff perceptions of and reactions to: organisational behavioural climate; leadership style; and team conflict.

Analysis at individual and group level allows comparisons to be made between subjective experiences and more objective aggregated perceptions of acceptable behaviour.

2. Verifying findings

Where results are in the danger zone, findings are explored in focus groups or interviews. As issues are highly emotive and complex, it is important to avoid oversimplification - “bullies” may be “victims” themselves and vice versa. Problems may be found at individual, group or organisational level and each requires a specific response.

3. Intervention workshops

Experiential staff development workshops can address negative interpersonal dynamics at group and team levels. These have shown improvements in organisational climate when sufficient numbers have been involved.

Founded on psychological theories, these can be used in approaches to day-to-day workplace issues. Workshops are customised to investigate the sources and consequences of behaviours and attitudes identified, and according to the organisational level of participants.

These raise awareness and help people to recognise, prevent and address negative behaviour in a positive way - incorporating understanding of the stress-bullying cycle, assertiveness and communication styles. The aims are to reduce negative behaviour and increase resilience to it.

4. Individual development

Steps one, two and three often highlight issues with people suffering the consequences of negative behaviour or perpetrating it. Interventions vary according to circumstances, but often take the form of one-to-one coaching sessions focused on increasing awareness and positive behavioural change.

5. Evaluation and follow-up

Evaluation of outcomes is important, to determine effectiveness and to ensure that underlying problems have been addressed so things do not start to slide back. Generally, this takes place after about a year.

The solution lies in awareness and prevention and in focusing on positive objectives, rather than on negative constraints. The focus should be on building positive climates that empower and reward staff to contribute towards continuous quality improvement.