Companies that work on a culture that encourages people to speak up when something bothers them are stronger and more resilient than those that discourage dialogue, says Helen Vermaak, business director at The Human Edge
She says, “These companies were able to make quick pivots to confront the need to change, creating a feeling of safety to talk about things that need to change and letting go of interpersonal or organisational sensitivities to consider necessary bold moves.”
She advises:
The companies that have fared better during the pandemic have been willing to talk about health, including mental health, the business processes needed to adapt to change, and how the pandemic has affected company culture
Being able to talk about sensitive and emotional issues has proved to be more important than innovation resources, team grit and talent
Employees need to do their bit by encouraging team members to speak up early and work to create a safe space for people to speak up
This article was extracted from the local newspaper and written by Margaret Harris
