How do you kill a company? Make sure your employees are not engaged in the business.

Employee engagement is essential when creating a successful organization.  Engaged employees devote their full energies and enthusiasm to the company’s mission.  The path to winning over an employee’s head, hands and heart requires leaders to eliminate certain sources of interference.  Creating a pleasant work culture with minimal management and environmental interference is the key to organizational success.

Workplace interference can be quite costly if not properly addressed. The following issues are examples of workplace I-N-T-E-R-F-E-R-E-N-C-E that destroys employee engagement:

• I – Incivility: There is never an excuse for a supervisor to treat subordinates with disdain or in a rude manner.  A rude demeanor spreads like wildfire throughout the workplace.  If the company’s top leader possesses a rude disposition, those closest to him/her will likely follow their example.  Incivility from the top has a trickle down effect and will infect the rest of the company over time.

• N – Negativity: People perform better in positive work environments. Negative people and attitudes will drain the energy right out of you.  An eight hour day feels like 24 hours in a negative environment.  Companies should part ways with negative people, even if they are technically competent or politically connected.

• T – Tempers: Check your temper at the door, along with cursing, berating and bullying fellow employees.  Throwing childish temper tantrums is extremely harmful to employee engagement. When the boss has a temper, people will be on edge and unable to perform their best.

• E – Egos. Egomania is likely one of the biggest expenditures in modern business.  If a leader or team member possesses an inflated ego, people typically waste time dancing around their delicate and numerous sensitivities. Egos waste time, resources and prevent the utilization of the entire team’s brain power.  Check your ego at the door before employees and customers run for the exits.

• R – Resources: It is difficult to perform when one lacks necessary resources.  Although companies should monitor expenses closely, your people need training, education, technology, continual feedback and other professional resources that assist in getting the job done.  When a leader denies needed training, employees receive a message they are not important.

• F – Fear: If employees have observed a coworker get in trouble or reprimanded for taking a worthwhile risk in their quest to do a good job, this causes qualified employees to shrink back from future challenges.  Innovation and risk-taking are essential to building a great company.

• E – Elitism: Creating a select group of elite company personalities is harmful to the company’s culture. The presence of elitism is bad news. To perform at their very best, employees want to know they are part of a consolidated team effort.  When managers and executives receive special treatment, the shadow of elitism will make employee engagement unobtainable.

• R – Restricted Communication: When there is restricted communication, trouble is around the corner.  If employees are in the dark concerning the latest company news and information, employees will not perform at their best level.  Communication is like oxygen; without it engaged employees will not survive.  Employees need to know the latest details about their company, department and individual position. When communication is non-existent, employees will make-up answers to their own questions.

• E – Emergencies: I once worked for a supervisor who made every assignment a top priority.  Daily fire drills were commonplace.  When leaders constantly require employees to jump through hoops with unrealistic or unnecessary deadlines, employees will perform the work but mentally unplug.  Effective leaders assign top priority designation only to the most important and deserving projects.

• N – Narcissism: Highly paid executives are susceptible to this psychological dysfunction.  When leaders acquire wealth, they begin thinking they are worthy to be worshiped and require special treatment.  As a result, coworkers and subordinates may be seen as threats to their throne rather than team members.

• C – Care: A top concern of employees is this: Does my supervisor sincerely care for me as a person?  Showing sincere care and concern for your people will fuel employee engagement.  Trust and engagement will dramatically improve with a caring environment.

• E – Equality: All employees should be treated equally.  Everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their performance or personal background.  Employees take great comfort in knowing they are accepted and appreciated, regardless of their differences.

Do you remember that Pantene commercial in the 1980’s when the girl in the shower said, “Don’t hate me because I’m beautiful.” Don’t worry, when you are in the job market, employers in most cases will love you when you are beautiful.  Advertisers know that sex sells stuff.  Sex appeal helps those in the job market as well.  Bottom line, beautiful people go to the front of the employment line.

Have you ever been seated in the lobby of a doctor’s office and watched as the pharmaceutical sales representatives wait for their appointment? I have noticed I would not qualify for their job.  First, most are beautiful women.  You know, the kind of women who could wear a feedsack and still look terrific. Secondly, the pill selling men could pose for GQ Magazine.  Does this give you a comfort feeling? Could it be our trusted doctors and their staff prescribe the latest medicine based on the good looks of the pharmaceutical company’s sales staff?  “Oh, I think that blonde rep. is so hot. If I prescribe tons of Zoloft maybe she will go out with me.”

Overweight People Must Work Harder
I remember a comedian telling his audience, “Fat people have to work harder.”  Overweight comedians might be funny but in the office it’s not so comical.  You remember elementary school? Children are brutally honest and will routinely make fun of overweight kids. Bullying might be a better term for this. Those same bully kids who called fellow students “fatso” grew up and now work in the corner office.

If you are overweight and/or beauty challenged, working relationships might get a little rough for you in the workplace.  You might have to produce more than your beautiful and thin coworkers to obtain the respect they garner.

Timeout
At this point I suspect those who feel overweight or not-so-beautiful understand this article. I am saying things people know but just don’t verbalize in writing. If you are a workplace beauty, on the other hand, you may not be convinced you have an upper-hand in the career game. Some good-looking women may feel they are discriminated against because they are too good looking.  I suppose that could happen too.  According to CNN.com, a recent study has shown attractive people earn five percent more than their average-looking counterparts. Let’s move on.

My Story
Before you come unglued and think I am totally insensitive and have lost my mind, let me tell you my story. Keep in mind I am a workplace consultant and this is my line of work; organizational behavior.  Neither do I consider myself outwardly good-looking or thin. In other words, I am not meddling.

One time a businessman told me I needed to lose weight.  Was he concerned about my health? No, he was concerned about his image.  He simply was trying to gain a political advantage over me. Besides, at the time I did not even consider myself to be overweight. And secondly, my weight was none of his business!

Several years later a CEO mentioned to me I had gained some weight and I needed to lose it.  At the time I was dealing with some personal issues and had actually gained some weight, however, that kind of advice should never be given by an employer.  A spouse can give this kind of feedback.  Even if it is your spouse, tread very carefully.  Guys, did you hear me?

Business leaders, I do not recommend telling an employee, “Hey, do you know we have an on-site workout facility? I suggest you use it and lose some weight.”  This creates an unfriendly, if not hostile, work environment.  Overweight people rarely take advice from ridiculously thin people who constantly eat Ho Hos and drink real Pepsi like the world is coming to an end.

Beauty, Weight and Disability Challenges
Beauty, weight and disabilities are all areas where employers should tread carefully.  Keep in mind I am talking ethics, not laws. It is perfectly legal to discriminate against ugly and overweight people in the U.S.  However, it is not ethical.

Who gets invited to the company’s annual report photo shoot?  Beautiful employees.

Who receives an invitation to the employee benefits video filming? Beautiful employees.

Who receives second and third notices about the weight watchers program? Overweight employees.

Are weight management programs realistically for the health of the employee or under the radar company image compliance programs? You guessed it. Workplace health programs are typically aimed at thinning up overweight people and improving the company’s outward image.

Serious About Healthy Workplaces?
Maintaining a healthy weight is a good, individual goal. However, if companies were truly concerned about the health of their employees, they should fire their workplace bullies who cause, anxiety, fear, clinical depression, post-traumatic stress syndrome, and a host of other costly medical and business expenses.  I suspect workplace bullies cost as much if not more in turnover, time off, business interruption expenses and cause nervous people to overeat than overweight people cost the company’s medical and time-off plan.

Legal to Discriminate
Did you know it is perfectly legal to discriminate based on good looks in most U.S. jurisdictions? There are companies who seem to be unusually focused on the outward appearance of the employee.  These employers are not simply concerned with an applicant’s wardrobe, social and job skills, they are enamored by beauty, attractiveness and good looks, both male and female.

Eye Candy as Requisite Skill
I once met an executive who demanded the company’s receptionist be hired as eye candy for the other executives.  Was this an illegal demand? No, it was not illegal but certainly an unethical hiring practice if one is not basing hiring decisions on skills and capabilities.  In America, it is perfectly legal to hire only beautiful people and drop kick ugly and overweight applicants, assuming the beauties have the requisite skills.

Outward Appearance vs. Inward Character
Sunday School teaches you a great deal about life when you are young. When I was a young boy I remember being taught an Old Testament scripture. It comforts me to know that according to the Bible’s teachings, “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” In the game of life, people may look at our outward appearance but God looks at our inner character.

I suspect the Great Workplaces across America have also tapped into the character of employees rather than their outward appearance.  Great character comes in all shapes and sizes.  As an employer, I would much rather recruit those with high moral character, a servant’s heart, a strong work ethic and the desire to treat all people with trust and respect. It’s what is inside that really matters.

Why Open this Can of Worms?
With the rising unemployment rate there will be increased competition as more workers apply for fewer jobs.  It is likely many unemployed workers will be unprepared for the new wave of vanity that will sweep across American workplaces.  You have heard, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  I submit to you, beauty and jobs are in the eye of the employer.

This is why you should choose your employer carefully.  I suggest you start with the Fortune 100 Best Companies To Work For List.  They are not perfect but are likely better than those not on the list.

Watch for another upcoming article on this topic on The People Group Blog, assuming there is not a contract killing placed on me by a good-looking assassin.

If a company’s leadership has intentions from the beginning to operate a fast-growing business in an unethical and illegal manner, while maintaining a positive public image, I have observed one possible sadistic model that can be successful, at least on a short term basis.

The CEO needs to be a well-liked, mild-mannered, suave, polished and articulate business person.  His second in command, on the other hand, should be a domineering, short-tempered, intimidating, executive bully who doesn’t take no for an answer.  It’s his way or the highway and he drives the truck that runs over you. The second in command essentially takes direction from the CEO and barks out orders and creates fear across the organization.

The second in command is seen as someone to be feared and most people will never cross him nor question the direction of the company, even if it is unethical or illegal.  All this while the CEO looks like the good guy and the company is considered an excellent corporate citizen.  It’s the corporate version of good cop, bad cop.  Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in the C-Suite.  This leadership model is confusing to employees on the inside but the public never notices the sadistic practices of the operation.

Welcome to Evil Inc.

According to the 2007 National Business Ethics Survey published by the Ethics Resource Center, the second most observed ethical violation is abusive or intimidating behavior observed by twenty-one percent of employees.  That means one out of every five employees routinely observe the use of abusive or intimidating behavior in the workplace.

Abusive and intimidating behavior is evil, wrong and has no place in the business world. Bullies use the resulting fear to prevent employees from questioning unethical or illegal decisions or methods.  According to the Ethics Resource Center, almost thirteen percent of employees experience retaliation for reporting misconduct.  If you work for Evil Inc. the leaders get what they want and nobody dare stop them. Employees and middle management lack the nerve to question their methods because fear is the weapon of choice at Evil Inc.

Evil Inc., however, is not a long-term going business concern.  Typically the business owners, who are narcissistic and ruthless, run the business long enough to make as much money as possible for themselves before the company folds.  One day everything seems fine to the public then suddenly the company files bankruptcy or closes its doors.  Their voodoo business act is over. The curtain falls on their bipolar management style and operations stop as quickly as they started.  Sadly, the last chapter of Evil Inc.’s story is never a happy ending.

CEO’s find the truth hard to handle at times.  Especially regarding employee relations issues, and their resulting effects on morale, quality and productivity.  For example, the CEO may have a hard time believing one of their top performers is a certifiable asshole who is damaging the company’s morale and causing a deterioration of trust in leadership.

The good news is there is a five step program for ridding your company of corporate assholes who have burrowed themselves inside your organization.

Step #1 – Admit assholes are bad for business. Recognize that assholes are bad for the organization. Yes, take that truth syrum and walk over from the dark side to the light.  Believe it or not, there are some CEO’s who think a few assholes scattered throughout the organization actually increase productivity. If this is the case, why not give those assholes some chains and whips to help their cause and instill greater fear.  If fear really works, why not increase the fear for greater effect? Nonsense!  You know it and I know it; assholes must be terminated.

Step #2 – Understand assholes are expert kiss-ups. Understand that assholes are masters at managing up, kissing up and brownnosing, all while causing terror down the corporate ladder.  While you are feeling good about your asshole, he is instilling fear in your organization. As the CEO, the asshole who is your direct report typically makes you feel good when you are around them.  It feels good to have your back end massaged by these clever manipulators.  They are experts at massaging your backside in order to protect theirs.

Step #3 – Adopt, model and promote your company’s code of conduct. I recommend your company also adopt an Anti-Bullying and No-Jerk policy.  Why?  The Workplace Bullying Institute and Zogby research indicate that 37% of American workers have been bullied at work.  That is almost 4 out of 10 employees.  Bullying is four times more prevalent than illegal harassment, yet most companies overlook it.  Because this has become such a prevalent workplace problem, a number of respectable companies have adoped No Jerk Hiring Policies:

“No Jerk Policy” Hall of Fame Companies

Barclays Capital | SPM Communications | Lloyd Gosselink Attorneys at Law

IDEO | Sterling Foundation Management | Gold’s Gym | van Aartrijk Group

Robert W. Baird | The Wine Buyer | Mozilla | Washington Mutual | SuccessFactors

Arup | Goldcorp | Hamilton Canada

Step #4 – Require thorough investigations and no cover-ups. Make sure human resources completely investigates claims of workplace bullying by corporate assholes.  The typical response will be for HR to conspire with or feel pressure from the asshole manager and eventually assist in the firing of the targeted employee or employees.  This allows the evidence to be terminated and walk out the front door.  In other words, assholes like to eliminate their dirty laundry.  Require HR to document the behavior, obtain witness accounts and submit a full written report to the CEO office.  Identify patterns of behavior and provide support to human resources when they recommend bullies and assholes undergo counseling.  Finally, terminate jerks if they don’t straighten up, regardless of their position in the company.

Step #5 – Communicate to stakeholders your company is a Jerk Free Zone. Communicate to employees, applicants and stakeholders your company is a Jerk Free Zone.  Don’t even permit customers to treat your employees terribly.  If you want to create a high-performance team environment, protect your employees.  Sure, develop lofty goals for your team members and create high performance expectations.  Driving out fear in the workplace will almost ensure your organization will be successful. Do this and success will follow you wherever you go.