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There will always be changes in an office space. Whether the change is due to movement, a promotion or an introduction of a new boss. With the change, there is a high possibility you will be assigned to a new team or boss. So, with a new change in process, there will be a change in the environment and strategies.

Thus, to determine the success of your team, interpersonal relationships matter a lot. Hence, below are few ways you can get along with your new team members:

Accept New Ideas:

With new management or team, new ideas will also come. It’s always good to be open to new ideas, even though they may seem they will fail at the start. It will always provide with a new outlook as well as it will be a welcoming gesture.

Introducing Yourself:

It’s very important to leave the first impression a good impression. Introduce yourself like you are giving an interview. Hence, introduce yourself like you are selling your skills and talents. Thus, it will present you as an important, reliable and valuable person of your team.

Know what they Expect:

Learn what they expect from you. You should meet with the boss or the team to understand your position. It’s always helpful to know your role in the team, and what they expect. That way, you can prepare and know what your team expects out of you and plan on achieving them.

Give Some Space:

Being enthusiastic about a project is a very good way to present yourself. But, along with enthusiastic you need to give them their required space. Bombarding them with your ideas and suggestions constantly will make them feel uncomfortable. Hence, giving and respecting their space is very important.

Be on Time:

Being punctual is always important. It leaves a good and professional impression. Hence, remember to be always come on time and don’t leave before your time. It will tell your team that you are interested in working with them and want to welcome them.

Be Open to Constructive Criticism:

Always have a welcoming attire. You should be very attentive during presentations. Thus, being clear about your goals. Also, don’t defend yourself when someone is giving a constructive criticism. Learn from what the person or the team is pointing out. Similarly, don’t shy away to give out your own constructive criticism. It will tell them that you are interested in the team.

Volunteering:

Lastly, volunteer for jobs which is out of your domain. Your extra effort will show them that you are interested in working with the team. Hence, giving an impression that you are a team player.

In conclusion, the tips mentioned above can really help you to get along with your new team members. Thus, making the team a productive team.

Employee Assistance Program (EAP) has become a necessity in all the companies, large or small. It provides a constant support to employees. It increases productivity among workers. Along with the increase in the productivity, they also provide a lot of benefits to the employer and the employee. The services provided by them, are subsidized and the benefits to the employee are numerous.

Reasons for not Using Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

But, even when the companies opt for an Employee Assistance Program, not everyone takes the advantages provided by them. Thus, below are few reasons why employees don’t use EAP fully:

Lack of Information for Employees

The employees are not informed properly about the EAP programs. About 50 years ago, EAP used to focus on alcoholic workers. But now, it has come a long way. It addresses different mental health issues and even work-related problems. Hence, the employees are not informed about these services which they can avail. It becomes the duty of the HR to tell the employees about EAP.

Difficulty in Navigation:

EAP is very helpful for the employees, but along with it is difficult for the employees to know what to do and where to go in different situations. Thus, it is the HR’s responsibility to convey to the employees about different programs and services provided by the EAP. Many time companies bundle EAP with other products, hence the employees don’t use the services that much.

The question of Confidentiality:

Many times, employees don’t indulge in the program because they are scared that there will be a breach of confidentiality. They are afraid that the information they will provide will leak onto the management. But, it is mandatory for the EAP professionals to keep the information provided confidentially. They will not release any information about the employee. In cases where the problem is interfering with work, they will only release the information with the employee’s consent. The employee has to sign the papers and can decide what and how much information should be released.

Feel like not big an issue:

It is a general misconception among people that EAP’s are for only mental health issues or addiction problems. But, people can approach EAP professionals for any advice and issue. It includes dietary advice, work-life balance, overall well-being etc. The HR should constantly remind the employees that they can avail these benefits from an EAP.

EAP not only help individuals but, they also help in increasing the productivity of the work environment. To learn more about the benefits of EAP, you can read, “Benefits of an Employee Assistance Program”.

To avail our EAP services, click here.

Any company will consist of individuals, and no individual stays in a vacuum. If there is an involvement of people, there will be conflicts and individual personal problems. A company can ignore these issues to an extent, but after a while, it gets reflected in work. Sometimes, there is no way to escape.

But, an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offers the solution. So, It is a method where the employees can be productive even in their times of trouble.

What is an EAP?

An Employee Assistance Program helps your employees with counselling services. There can be different types of counselling, from personal matters to employee work efficiency.Thus, The general arrangement between the provider and the company consists of unlimited online and telephone support along with, few face to face counselling sessions. Hence, These benefits are for each individual who is an employee of the country (per year).

Benefits of EAP

• A decrease in levels of absenteeism: As EAP focuses on worker’s productivity, they try and reduce the number of absenteeism with addressing the employee’s issues.
• Less Number of Accidents: EAP program focuses on workers safety. Hence, through individual counselling and workshops, the emphasis is made on a safe work environment.
• More Employee’s Staying Back: An EAP program focuses on the happiness of the employee. If the employee is happy with his position and the services provided by the company, they tend to stick with the company.
• Less number of Employee disputes: An EAP program provides unlimited counselling, hence when a dispute within employees emerge, the counsellors try to solve the dispute and create a happier environment.
• Reduce Company’s Medical Bills: As there is an early identification of employees’ mental health problems, there is a significant decrease in the company’s medical bill.

Workings of an EAP

Typically, an EAP is for employees who are facing difficult times. These difficult times can be (and not limited to):

• Injury or an Illness
• Troubled relationships
• Emotionally Distressed individuals
• Legal or Financial Issues
• In times of Loss or Grief
• Management of Stress
• Marital issues and Concerns
• Overall Wellness
• Information about Medication
• Pre or Post Child Birth Counselling

Concerns of Employees

The information given to the counsellor by the employees are confidential. But, a monthly usage report is provided to the company. Thus, The report tells them, how often the services are used by the employees along with the progress of the employees (with their concerns). Hence, Through the report, the company can keep a track how well their services are being used.

Conclusion

In conclusion, an EAP is a must for any company. The benefit is for the employee and also the company. Hence, It has been a proven method to increase employee satisfaction and increase in productivity.

At Mentriq, we provide with EAP services. If you or your company is looking for EAP services, you can contact us.

Workplace employee discrimination can happen to anyone. It is one of the serious offences which happens in a workplace. If you have ever been unjustly sidelined based on your race, class, sex etc then there is a chance that you have been discriminated. Discrimination can happen in any sector of employment. It ranges beyond hiring someone or firing someone.

First of all, discriminating someone in any situation of a workplace is illegal. It falls under Articles 232 and 242 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The article clearly states that a person has a right to work and in a safe environment. Hence, right to work is a basic right, and it is compared with the right to live.

Discrimination vs. Harassment

Discrimination is the parent body while harassment is a part of discrimination. Under discrimination, there are different forms of harassment. It includes the possibility of aggressive behavior by a co-worker, a client, a manager based on race, color, religion, sex, age or disability. Read more to understand the difference between harassment and workplace bullying.

Types of Workplace Discrimination

The employee feels discriminated when someone in the workplace shows them a lack of approval. It can also take the role of bullying when the person has pushed around or manhandled. An employee can also be discriminated in the workplace because of their relationship with a co-worker.

Below is the list of types of employee discrimination:

• Gender
• Age
• Ethnicity
• Race
• National Origin
• Skin Colour
• Genetic Information
• Mental or Physical Disability
• Relationship with a co-worker
• Parenthood or Pregnancy

Discrimination can happen to an employee in any number of situation, which includes (and not limited to):

• Giving preference to a suggested candidate for a job
• Not giving job opportunities to a person because of their race, class etc.
• Specifically, not giving compensations or benefits to certain employees.
• Giving different pay to two different persons on the same post with the same qualification.
• Stopping an employee to use company facilities because of the above-mentioned reasons.
• Stopping the growth or promotion of an employee because of above-mentioned reasons.

Conclusion

Discrimination can happen to anyone at any given point in time. As mentioned earlier, it is illegal for an employer to deny the opportunities to a person based on their cast, sex, or religion. Approaching people in higher posts in the case of discrimination should be the right move. Adequate compensation and counseling should be provided to the employee in case of discrimination.

The person being discriminated goes through a very tough experience. Also, it is the responsibility of the company to stop this kind of behavior and take strict actions and measures against it. After that, if the person is not happy with the decision, they can approach and take the help of the law by filing a legal case.

In a workplace setting, there are many types of employees we meet. Even if the workplace is large or small, there are problem employees. Some employee behaviors are problematic because of genuine reasons, like problems at home. Employees who have genuine reasons, listening to them solves the problem. While there are some employees who are known as “the problem employees”.

Below are few examples of problem employees, who are found in a workplace:

Victims

There is always one person, to whom everything happens. They are the victims of every single situation. Their complaints will often of too much workload, or of a bad boss. Portraying themselves as a person who is always in distress in the workplace.

The best way to deal with them is to provide them with responsibility and give them a deadline with an instruction on how the work should be done.

The Biters

They are the aggressive ones. People like them are always on the offensive, and even the slightest provocation will cause them to attack. The Biters are generally present as bullies in the workplace. They will present themselves as very pushy and would always want their way.

The best way to deal with them is to explore the factors that make them behave this way. Read here, to know more about dealing with a workplace bully.

Negative One

They are the ones who will resist to change and always find faults in everything. They are the ones who will not leave any opportunity to destroy the illusion of good.

But, the presence of a negative employee is very important, as they play the devil’s advocate. Make sure to use your optimism on them to get the best out of their negativity.

The Invisible One

We always have one person who is never available. They are always on a holiday or a vacation due to some reason or other. They will take long breaks in the office hours, and when approached with a project they will delay it by saying they have too much to do.

With people like them, it is better to have a heart to heart conversation with them as they are not particularly a job fit.

Narcissists

They are what a team doesn’t need. Their main goal and motive have always been to look for their personal interest. They will tend to portray themselves as the best, and will always think about what is best for them ignoring the needs of the organization. They are self-centered and can be irked by smallest contradictions.

The best way to deal with them is to set goals for them which are for their own benefit. Read here, to know more about dealing with a narcissist.

Geniuses

They are highly intelligent and can grasp anything easily. Also, they know they are highly intelligent and they will make sure everyone knows that. They are very strong and arrogant in their views and would not consider any suggestion which they think is wrong.

The best way to deal with them is to use their strengths. It is better to give them solo projects and make their own analysis of work. But, it is also important to guide them, thus taking the best out of them.

Handling difficult or problem employees are always difficult and take a long time. After the identification of a difficult employee, dealing with them should be sooner. Once, they are handled in the right manner, they will prove as an asset to the company or the team.

Sometimes, at work, there are certain people you just can’t get along with. There is always a conflict between the person and you and it seems that it will never end. This is because there is a personality conflict between you two. Hence, due to personality conflicts, teams fail and the work is not achieved. It creates a tense environment, and the effects are reflected in the workplace.

Even though we wish we could change the other person, but we know that is impossible. But, we can always control our emotions and the way we react.

Below are some ways to reduce or resolve personality conflicts at work:

Don’t Discuss with Others

In a fight situation, there is always a tendency to make allies with other people who are not involved. This strategy often creates fights between the co-workers and adds fuel to the situation. While there are many co-workers who are uncomfortable because of it. It disrupts the organization. It’s always recommended to focus on what can you do to make it better.

Don’t React

The person who is causing the conflict knows how to irk you. If you don’t react immediately, or just take a pause to think about your response then the other person will think you are backing off. It will calm the situation and put it under control.

Think the Situation

Looking at the situation through a different lens helps. If you start thinking about the situation and how you can control it, or even adding to it then it will help you take right steps. Even if the situation is getting worse, thinking about it will provide with answers.

Look for the Positive

There is a tendency to always look at the negatives of a person when in a fight. If you take a pause, then it also opens a chance for you to look at their positives. Thinking about what is the person’s contribution to the team or the company will bring the situation under control.

Try to Communicate

A direct communication is always a good way to settle things down. You need to convey your feelings to the other person and listen to their side empathetically. If you see that either of you are angry and not ready to listen, then it is always a good option to walk away at that point in time and try talking later.

Find a Neutral Solution

Finding a neutral solution to the situation is always advisable. If communicating directly isn’t helping then it’s better to find a neutral person like the HR. Documentation of the conflict helps to keep a record, but make sure the documents are written in a neutral manner.

It is never advisable to ignore any kind of conflicts at work. Taking control of the situation and trying to reach a common ground should always be a priority. If you see someone else is indulging in a conflict, then take a step and try to resolve it.

Being a leader of a team is a big responsibility in itself. The difficult task at hand becomes how you communicate with the team. An effective leader always knows how to communicate with the team. A good communication with the team helps them to understand and assess the situation better. It helps to clear the misunderstanding and clarify the goals. The team is then able to carry out the task in a better way and hence is able to complete the task.

Below are some ways to communicate effectively with your team:

E-mails

In a corporate setting, communicating through email is one of the effective ways. This way, you can reach your team members without disturbing their work.

Face-to-Face

To discuss something with a person, a face to face meeting is always effective. That way you can make them understand your position better. Maintaining eye contact is very important in this situation.

Presentations

Using visual and audio effects make it easier for people to pay attention. It also gives the team an opportunity to go back to the presentation and refer to it.

Confidence and Seriousness

Having confidence and seriousness while talking to your team leaves a good impression. If you show any dullness or loss of confidence, then they might not take you seriously and disregard the information.

Simple Words

Usage of simple words helps your team to understand the objectives better. Also, the simpler the words, the easier it becomes for everyone to understand what you are trying to communicate.

Listen to Others

The basic key to communication is to listen and hear what the other wants to say. Even if you are the one giving the team presentation, others will always have a valuable input. Listening to them makes you a better communicator and leader.

Body Language

The art of body language is a very effective way of communication. Once you communicate using your body language, it delivers the message more effectively. Sitting or standing straight, or shaking hands or smiling leaves a positive message.

Don’t Repeat

Unnecessary repetition creates the communication boring. Try to use different wordings every time. Using the same words or sentences takes off the interest from your presentation or communication. Only repeat when it is necessary when someone hasn’t understood what you are saying.

Humour

Using light jokes and friendly gestures helps you to communicate the message better. This way, you can also reduce the tension in the environment, even when speaking about a very important topic. But, being humorous doesn’t mean cracking jokes every time.

Don’t Mumble

Speaking clearly and confidently makes the other listen to you. Mumbling shows a lack of confidence. It also distracts the other person because they couldn’t hear you.

Feedback

Encouraging feedback from others opens up space. This way, you floor out different ideas and receive different ideas from the team. It also reflects on your communication skills and how well you have managed to communicate.

Appreciate

A simple thank you goes a long way. It is one of the basics of being courteous. After every presentation, thanking your listeners for their time will make them appreciate you.

Communication is a give and takes situation. Working as a team is always effective and productive for the team and the company. It can boost productivity and sales, and pave the way to new ideas. A bad communication fails the effort and meaning of the team.

An ideal workplace can turn into a distressful job for many because of bullying. Workplace bullying is very common and faced by many. Yet, many couldn’t do anything about it. First of all, there are many forms of bullying. It can be psychological, verbal or physical. In the workplace, it can be done by someone who is a senior, or a colleague, and the psychological implications are dire.

Threats

There are many forms of bullying, and it can come in as a personal attack which doesn’t have to do anything with the job or the environment. It includes spreading of rumors or gossips about an employee or a co-worker. When you have a face to face confrontation with them they resort to name calling, abusing, mocking or ridiculing.

It also can take the role of physical, when there is an unwanted gesture or contact intended to threaten a person. It can range from an unwanted touch to placing offensive photos or sharing offensive photos. People may also resort to physical contact like pushing or touching intentionally to threaten the other.

Bullying vs Harassment

There is a fine line between bullying and harassment. Above mentioned situations are examples of harassment. Bullying is the starting of a harassing behavior. Under no circumstance, one should tolerate harassment or even bullying. The level of bullying turns into harassment when an employee or co-worker could see that the other’s behavior is hostile.

Below are some examples when bullying turns into harassment:

• When someone denies an employee or co-worker access to resources, including opportunities.
• When the person doesn’t provide any feedback for any work and yet scolds you.
• Expecting a 100% result while withholding crucial information for the work.
• Not allowing the person to go to an important meeting either by obstruction or failure to invite.
• Always making threats of firing.
• Always trying to monitor you, and trying to manipulate you.
• Giving tasks, which are impossible to complete with unrealistic deadlines.
• Always trying to sabotage your work.
• Finding faults at every little thing or criticising with baseless information
• Trying to humiliate you by public reprimanding or using abusive language.
• Trying to ask for sexual favors or stopping your promotion because of the same.

All of the above should be done repetitively and continuously by a co-worker or senior for it to become harassment. Else it is known as bullying. Sadly, there is no law against bullying, but that shouldn’t mean you stand for it.

How to deal with bullying?

If a co-worker is constantly bullying you or harassing you, then you can approach your supervisor. It can possibly lead to a worsened situation if the instigator reprimanded by the supervisor, but none the less it should be reported. You can approach the HR department or someone above your supervisor if your supervisor is the bully. It is important to keep everything documented so that you have enough proof of the actions.

If the supervisor is the boss of the company, or else you are not satisfied with the results then you can approach a lawyer and file an official complaint. To register a lawsuit, you will have six months to act on the action after the issues haven’t been resolved at a personal level.

In a working environment, where people are included, the possibility of conflicts is always there. It is not a surprise that many people quit their jobs because of interpersonal conflicts. Misunderstanding or difference in personalities and opinions leads to conflicts easily. The question then arises how do we deal with conflicts at work?

Below are few steps to deal with conflict at work:

Dealing with it

Many people choose the strategy to keep the conflicts unresolved. Either they quit their jobs or decide never to talk to them. It is not a good strategy. If the conflict remains undealt, then it results in feelings of anger, guilt or resentment. Hence, the first step should always be to deal with the conflict at hand.

Think it through

It is always good to be prepared. Before facing the person, it is a good advice to think it through. Make notes or cue cards if necessary to stay on the topic. If necessary, then take advice from a friend or a family member. But, remember there will always be a difference in opinions. Hence, you need to think it through first.

Having a Conversation

Many people prefer to confront through phones, messages or emails. But, it is always a better option to have a face to face conversation. Talking face to face helps you understand each other’s viewpoints. A human interaction is better than a mediated conversation through technology. Also, in a face to face conversation, one can make use of gestures like handshakes or a smile. But, always select a place which is neutral so that no one gets the advantage.

Mediators

In cases of a situation where other methods have failed, it is always to seek help from a mediator. A person who is neutral and is willing to help with the situation. Also, a person who is mediating can look at the situation from both the side. They can help in providing a solution by looking at it objectively.

Apologize

It is important to know your fault in the conflict. If you think that there is a part played by your mistake then acknowledge and apologize. Sometimes, the best solution is just to agree on something common and moving on. A simple apology goes a long way even if it is not your fault entirely.

Choosing your Battles

It is important to know which conflict to address. You need to know which fight is useful and which is not. If you start complaining about every small thing then no one will listen to you. Hence, you should only focus on the major issues and conflicts.

Avoiding Troublemakers

Lastly, it is important to stay away from troublemakers. Some people try to bring everything down with them. Don’t react to everything which you have heard. It is always good to cross check the credibility of the source.

Conflicts are difficult to avoid. But, avoiding them completely is not always the best option. It can be handled in a professional and calm manner. Thus, helping you build stronger relations in the workplace.

Many people wonder if the job they are doing is the right for them or not. They stick with the job thinking that they are earning well and it will be OK for now. But, at the back of the head, there is a constant thought of switching the job. They keep waiting for the “right” moment. If you are wondering and are having these thoughts, then below are few signs telling you to leave your job and switch to another:

Being Stuck

One of the major signs is being stuck at the same position. Many people are stuck in the same position without any promotions. Even when the company you work for, has difficult progressions. In a period of three years, there has to be some advancement in your career. So, if you feel like stuck, then it is a sign.

No Feedback

Another sign is if you are constantly working hard and performing well, and yet you don’t receive any feedback. Without a feedback from your manager, there is no scope in growing. Even if the feedback is generic, and you can’t grow from there. A good manager always tries to help their employees. Also, they are helping towards your career development.

No Learning

If you are not facing any new challenges and stopped learning anything new, it’s another sign. Learning something new every day might not be a possibility. But, it’s important for you to sign new courses and projects. If the company is not giving you this opportunity then they are not helping in your career development.

Constant Exits

If you see people around you constantly leaving, it might be another sign. If your co-workers are leaving frequently or trying to find new jobs, then this might not be a good environment to work in. There might be other factors which are making your co-workers switch. It’s better to ask them, you might find similarities.

Constant Re-ordering

If the company doesn’t have a fixed structure or there is a constant reordering within the management then, it is not a good sign. Poor strategic management or bad leadership could be one of the possibilities. Constant shuffling might be a good chance for you to grow, but that growth is limited. It reflects that there is a turbulence within the company. It could hamper your career development.

The Feeling

Lastly, don’t ignore your gut feelings. If you feel like leaving the job and switching then do it. You are the best judge of your mental and work conditions. If your inner voice says to move on, then you should listen to it.

It is important to always review your career and make decisions according to it. It gives you an opportunity to understand the market and what other people are earning in your position. In the end, it is always a good opportunity to explore and get satisfaction.