It can be easy to get lost in daily operational work as an HR professional and forget that you are also tasked with building and driving every form of work-related culture in a company or organization. Building a healthy culture takes intentional steps; it doesn’t just happen by chance. What you feed into your culture is what you reap. If you encourage toxicity actively or passively, you reap the fruits. Let me share four tips that have helped me build a positive and healthy work culture.

Hiring for culture fit

During the hiring process, we often focus on technical ability. During interviews, HR professionals sometimes ask questions they shouldn’t. Let the hiring manager do the technical fit while you do the culture fit. HR professionals who don’t know how to interview for culture fit can build leverage on personality tests, behavioral interview techniques and reference checks (this has saved me from making hiring mistakes in the past). There might not be toxicity in the company but hiring a toxic person is a step towards it.

Constant and Consistent Communication

Constant means unceasing while consistent means unchanging. As the culture driver, you should clearly communicate expectations to the people (employees) who would be living the ideal culture you want to achieve. Communicate expectations as it relates to behaviors, performance, collaboration and others. This can be done through the employee handbook, regular training sessions, and ongoing communication from management.

Some things I have implemented which I’ll advise:

• I introduced employees to a recognition that highlights our core values and encourage them to live it
• Engagement through our weekly newsletters. Encourage managers to use core values to give feedback to employees. Rather than say, “What you didn’t wasn’t good” you can replace it with “That behavior doesn’t reflect our value of ownership.”
• Encourage work-life balance

HR professionals run away from this because they think they would be on management’s wrong books if they do this but a healthy culture can only happen if people are healthy. This can be done by offering a flexible work schedule, hybrid/remote work, and encouraging people to take their leave days. There are some cultures where taking your leave makes you an enemy and your job as HR is breaking that cycle. People should be encouraged to rest and not burn out.

Foster employee engagement and employee wellness

People think employee engagement is about sharing small chops in the office. It’s about keeping employees encouraged and motivated. You can do that through regular feedback, recognition and career development. People shouldn’t feel stagnant working with you hence you are wasting your time building a healthy culture. You can also drive wellness by providing employees with access to a therapist and training on stress management.

These are ideas I’ve implemented and have seen progress. One thing to note about culture is all about what you encourage and discourage. If you love to gossip and listen to people backbiting about each other, you’re definitely going to be building a gossip culture where people thrive by pulling others down so beyond these intentional steps, be mindful of the things you are doing as a leader.

Sometimes last year, I interviewed a candidate for an urgent vacancy. I had shortlisted her based on her work experience and qualifications, and I intended to find out more about her during the interview. When I spoke with her on the phone before the interview date, she sounded so confident and very well-spoken.

On the day of the virtual interview, I was so excited to chat with her but all my high hopes were crashed just under a few minutes. Why? What happened? I wasn’t impressed due to her nervousness. She kept mixing up her words and breathing heavily, making concentrating on her answers difficult. I knew she was anxious, and for me to get the best out of her, I had to tweak things. I paused the interview and said to her: “Hey. I want you to please be free with me. I don’t eat or bite, I just want to get to know you better. I want you to see me as a friend, okay? I know you are very nervous right now, but I need you to understand that you were shortlisted for this position because you are qualified for it, okay? So begin to see yourself as that.”

I asked her to exhale three times after the pep talk, and we started the interview all over. This time around, it was so good. She answered all the questions confidently and thanked me profusely for not giving up on her. Another recruiter might have dismissed her for being incompetent, thereby losing out on a great talent. But I decided not to give up on her, and she, likewise, didn’t disappoint.

As a talent acquisition specialist, it is important to be more humane in that position and there are the top three qualities one must imbibe.

The first one is empathy. As an HR professional or recruiter, it’s important to possess the trait of understanding and empathy towards your team or candidates. During interviews, candidates may feel nervous, so it’s your responsibility to ease their anxiety and make them feel comfortable. Building a rapport with them can help them feel more relaxed. To embody this trait, think back to when you were job-hunting and wished to be treated well by recruiters. By being empathetic, you can bring out the best in your candidates.

The second is patience. As a recruiter, it is essential to practice patience because you will come across candidates from various backgrounds and personalities. Some candidates may appear frustrating, slow or friendly, but you should not let their attitudes affect your ability to identify top talent. It is crucial to remain composed and ask relevant questions required for the position you are hiring for. Take your time to select candidates with the right skills and expertise who can be trained to improve their weaknesses. Remember to prioritize quality over the candidate’s personality or behaviour during the hiring process.

The third quality is emotional intelligence. As an HR professional, it is crucial to exhibit a non-negotiable attribute of intentionally making decisions without being solely influenced by emotions or making hasty judgments. This will help you avoid the trap of the Halo and Horn effect that most recruiters usually struggle with due to implicit prejudices. The Halo effect leads to focusing on just one skill that a candidate possesses and wrongly assuming that they will be equally good at other areas, which can lead to missing out on red flags and ultimately resulting in a bad hire. Similarly, the Horn effect makes you concentrate on one negative feature in a candidate and mentally disqualify them concerning other aspects. Therefore, it’s important to ensure you do not let emotions sway your decisions easily, and instead, try to be logical to make the best choices for the company.

HR Professionals should always strive to spread love and kindness wherever they go. It’s important to avoid acting like a mini-god and speaking to candidates condescendingly. Instead, we should aim to reassure them and make them feel comfortable, especially when they start to feel nervous. Your relationship with candidates is crucial in bringing out the best in them. Providing an amazing candidate experience can greatly contribute to your firm’s employer branding, as you are an extension of the company you work for.

A recent viral video of bullying has caused people to have different thoughts about how parents should raise their children. While society is quick to condemn school bullying, another crucial area to consider is workplace harassment. Workplace harassment is as widespread as any other form of harassment. It is different from physical assaults that occur in schools or other places, as it often manifests in subtler but equally damaging ways, such as intimidation, manipulation, and sabotage. The perpetrators can be colleagues, supervisors, or even higher-ups in the organizational hierarchy. The consequences of bullying can significantly impact individuals mentally and psychologically, leading to absenteeism, reduced productivity, and talent attrition. I believe there are strategies and actions that anyone experiencing workplace bullying can consider.

Document everything

At some point in your life, it may be necessary for you to speak up for yourself using facts rather than assumptions. To do so, it is helpful to keep detailed records of any incidents that occur, including the date, time and a description of the behavior. This documentation serves as a factual basis for lodging complaints and may also be used as evidence if necessary.

Establish boundaries

Bullies thrive on a sense of power, control, and dominance over others. They also do not like to be confronted with their actions. Set clear boundaries with the bully, firmly but respectfully. Assertive communication can deter further harassment and communicate that such behavior is unacceptable.

Seek support

You may question yourself severally if you are the problem but that will only compound the issue. Reach out to trusted colleagues, mentors, or HR representatives for guidance and support. Strength often lies in solidarity, and sharing experiences with others can help validate your feelings and provide perspective.

Utilize formal channels

Bullies often have support from people within the organization, who allow them to keep behaving in the same way. If informal attempts to resolve the situation are unsuccessful, don’t hesitate to escalate the matter through formal channels. You can also use anonymous channels with proof if you don’t trust the organization. Most organizations have policies and procedures in place to deal with workplace harassment. Exercise your rights and seek recourse through established channels.

Prioritize self-care

Workplace bullying can have a significant negative impact on an individual’s mental and emotional well-being. To minimize the effects of bullying, it is essential to practice self-care activities such as mindfulness, and exercise, and, if needed, seek professional counseling. Remember, your health and well-being come first. If you feel that leaving the job is the best option, then don’t hesitate to update your CV and search for new opportunities.

For HR Professionals and Business owners, it is crucial to lead by example and not bully people to exercise your power. Implementing zero-tolerance policies, training your employees on the implications of bullying if reported, and encouraging open dialogue can help address workplace bullying. Bullies often thrive in an insecure culture where people cannot freely express themselves. Therefore, creating a safe environment where employees can speak up without fear of retaliation is essential.

Addressing workplace bullying requires a collective effort from individuals, organisations, and society at large. By raising awareness, advocating for change, and implementing practical strategies, we can create healthier and more inclusive work environments where all employees can thrive.