Highschool like Work Cultures

For many, high school wasn’t the best part of their lives. However, many made lasting friendships 👯‍♂️, broke a few rules, and then may have had an experience living on campus during their years in undergrad. For those who may not have enjoyed high school, that apathy may have transferred to the workplace 🏢

Many workplaces are like high school at times. Certain groups include sales, data scientists, accountants, marketing, legal, and HR. High school departments can be siloed, and there can be in-and-out groups. There can be juvenile behavior on the part of coworkers, and going to the manager’s or supervisor’s office could be synonymous with visiting the dean or principal👨‍✈️

There can also be micromanagement, outbursts, and people not taking accountability for their actions. If one thrives in high school, one will likely succeed in these environments. However, these environments are still as toxic for some as they were in their original adolescent years.

‼️Inclusion and the breaking down of silos and cliques can help improve culture. Also, empowering workers and supporting and training them to become leaders will enhance culture. However, the most significant game changer is making everyone accountable and clearly defining their role and expectations. Not everyone will like each other, but everyone needs to be treated with dignity and respect 🔨‼️

A changing environment ensures that everyone has a voice, feels safe, feels they belong, and feels their contributions make a difference. Professional efficacy and removing cynicism go a long way to prevent turnover and toxicity in the workplace. Remember, improving attitude reduces deviance and high school mentality and culture.