In many organizations, discussing unsafe behavior remains a challenge. Often, we prefer to talk about insecurity in other organizations (such as the NPO) rather than initiating a conversation about the safety of our own organization and how to improve it. Why do we find it so difficult to address unsafe situations within our own work environment?
An effective way to approach this question is through the pyramid of unwanted behavior and insecurity outlined below. This pyramid illustrates that an unsafe work environment not only revolves around the widely discussed incidents at the top of the pyramid but begins with small and seemingly ‘innocent’ actions. Unwanted behavior starts with things we tolerate, ignore, and thereby perpetuate during our daily work. If flawed everyday behavior is not promptly and clearly corrected, it can repeat itself and ultimately create an unsafe corporate culture where larger incidents occur more frequently. This has significant negative consequences for the (mental) health, job satisfaction, and outcomes of many people in that organization.
An unsafe work environment arises not only from colleagues’ unwanted behavior but also from an environment that tolerates such conduct. This can involve a manager who permits it, an employee who turns a blind eye, or oversight that fails. Jokes can evolve into bullying, compliments about appearance can turn into harassment, casual remarks can lead to discrimination, toxic language can foster an unsafe atmosphere, frequent loudness can result in a culture of fear, and an employee raising concerns may be excluded.
From a distance, it seems incomprehensible that people continue to go to work in a toxic culture (because that’s what it becomes). Yet they do, as we can also read in the Van Rijn report about the NPO. Unfortunately, the NPO is far from the only unsafe organization. At least twice a month, I encounter an organization where people don’t speak freely, where some dominate meetings, steamrolling others’ opinions, or where jokes are made that exclude certain individuals.
The NPO is one of the organizations where the risk factors for leaving safety unaddressed are higher. In my experience, these are the characteristics of organizations where people are quicker to turn a blind eye to unsafe behavior:
- Organizations structured around professions that are typically exclusive to that organization, such as police, firefighting, diplomacy, or defense, often lead individuals to accept more unsafe behavior due to the strong attachment to their profession.
- Organizations where individuals feel part of an elite group playing in the ‘Champions League’ may be prone to accepting more unsafe behavior, seen in broadcasting companies, top sports teams, businesses in Amsterdam’s Zuidas, universities, and the cultural sector.
- Organizations relying heavily on temporary contracts, weakening employees’ legal standing, may foster a culture of silence as criticism could jeopardize contract renewals.
- Organizations situated in regions with limited employment opportunities may compel local employees to endure a toxic culture due to the lack of viable alternatives without relocation.
- Even organizations offering above-average pay may inadvertently accelerate a culture of insecurity, as individuals may tolerate more unsafe conditions if comparable employment opportunities are scarce elsewhere.
If you’re wondering whether your team or organization exhibits signs of insecurity, ask yourself:
- Are there aspects of interaction within your team or organization that you find difficult to discuss with your colleagues, or only with certain colleagues?
- Are there aspects of interaction within your team that you find challenging to discuss with your manager?
- Are there aspects of interaction within your team or organization that you keep to yourself, even if you consider them undesirable?
If you’ve answered positively to one or more of the above questions, realize that you’re often not alone. What do you need to make these issues discussable? Here are a few tips:
Often, there are more people experiencing the same problems, which can significantly affect their job satisfaction and health. Consider initiating a conversation with others or, if necessary, collectively filing a complaint. This way, you won’t be alone in addressing these issues.
Consider asking if all submitted complaints in your organization can be made public. Analyzing these complaints provides insight into the organizational culture and helps understand what’s needed to create a safer work culture. You can also utilize employee satisfaction surveys (MTO). Don’t just focus on average scores but also examine the distribution of scores and answers, as well as the examples provided. Organizations often only focus on the average score, while outliers can indicate important signals of unsafe situations in specific areas.
Identifying and addressing insecurity within an organization is challenging and not always easy but is essential for creating a safe and healthy work environment for everyone. And the company as a whole benefits from it.