Signs of dysfunction in the workplace
Sometimes you can recognize a dysfunctional workplace at first glance. If you are interviewing for a job and notice the office is cluttered and in disarray, the employees are lethargic, unsmiling or appear disgruntled, you may want to think twice before accepting a position with that company.
Often signs of dysfunction are not so evident, and you actually have to be part of the inner circle of an organization in order to recognize problems.
Signs of a dysfunctional workplace:
If you cannot find files, supplies are limited or non-existent, accumulated dirt and grime is visible on office equipment and desks, there is a good chance employees are not deriving much job satisfaction in their environment and enthusiasm is sorely lacking.
If employees are constantly complaining, favoritism is rampant on the part of supervisors or there is a higher than usual level of turnover, you can be sure there is an element of subtle dysfunction creating the negative mayhem.
If deadlines are consistently ignored, work piles up or is left unattended for long periods of time, there is a cash flow problem, reflected by a high accounts receivable balance, due to charges and credits not be posted in a timely manner, and myriad customer complaints, that is an overt sign of dysfunction at some higher level in the organization.
If you don’t know who you answer to in your department, never have access to the boss, no one takes responsibility for making decisions that impact smooth operation and the company is always blindsided by unexpected issues, requiring troubleshooting for solutions, with employees in panic mode much of the time, you are working in a stress-inducing environment.
If employees are required to work in cramped quarters, an indication of poor planning, or coworkers are expected to share vital equipment, that is a sign of an employer who does not value his employees, a major dysfunctional attitude.
Cross training is a valuable concept, but if it is a case of repeated duplicate effort created by employees being unclear about what their job description entails and who is supposed to do what, dysfunction reigns.
If the boss is difficult, angry and critical for no apparent reason, but merely to flex his “muscle” as a person of importance, or the boss is passive and does not address issues with confidence, the office will be replete with dysfunction, working its way from top to bottom of the office hierarchy.
If there is overall low morale among the employees regarding workload, interaction and enthusiasm for company loyalty, the office will be an unpleasant and stressful place in which to spend eight hours a day.
If you failed to pick up on the signs of dysfunction at the outset and find yourself immersed in an office with insurmountable issues and problems, causing you to become mentally and emotionally worn down from the stress, it would be in your best interest to consider seeking out a new job. Remaining in a stressful environment might eventually take its toll on your mental and physical health and that is too high a price to pay for failing to recognize a dysfunctional workplace.
