Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is a concept that breaks down human motivation into a pyramidal tier. After the basic physiological needs such as food and water are met on the lowest tier, the next most important rung is safety needs. These include health, job security, emotional safety and safe environments.
In the modern workplace, this translates to the psychological safety all employees must feel — particularly marginalized groups — in order to be happy, productive and committed for the long term.
Yet for many companies, creating a civil and more equitable workplace is an ongoing challenge.
Legacy Business Cultures, a platform for workplace leadership and staff development, reports that 80 percent of those polled said a lack of respect at work is a serious problem. Furthermore, the average Fortune 1000 executive spends 13 percent of their time mediating disputes, which equates to almost seven full weeks a year.
Not only is the creation of a civil and equitable workplace a moral imperative, but it is also smart business. The Harvard Business Review discovered that participants in a study who were treated with respect produced 25 percent more ideas than those who were treated rudely, and were 30 percent more creative overall.
What’s the secret? We sat down with Jed Corenthal, CMO of Phenix Real Time Solutions, to talk about his company’s determined efforts to create a respectful, civil and equitable workplace. Corenthal described how creating an environment in which employees feel comfortable and encouraged to communicate their needs and experiences at any time, and to anyone, is a driving force in fostering a workplace based on civility and respect.
Jed Corenthal is the CMO of Phenix, a platform for real-time video streaming solutions. When it comes to creating a respectful and civil workplace, Corenthal believes that constant communication, transparency and openness to all perspectives are critical factors in creating more civility at work.
What is the most important thing company leaders can do to promote and improve respect and civility in the workplace?
Working in close quarters can be trying and stressful. The best way to ease tension and promote civility and respect is through constant communication. It is not only important for managers to communicate with those who work for them — to discuss the direction, strategy and goals for the company and their respective departures so everyone is on the same page working toward a common goal — it is just as important for employees to feel comfortable enough to walk into their manager’s office and discuss their own trials and tribulations.
The best way to ease tension and promote civility and respect is through constant communication.”
How have you created a culture where everyone — regardless of their background — feels empowered to voice an opinion and feels confident that their opinions will be heard, valued and respected?
Phenix is still a small company with less than 40 employees, but it is important for each and everyone to feel as though they are contributing to the success of the company. We have biweekly “all-hands” company meetings to discuss key topics, issues and news so everyone is up to date. In addition, we have weekly one-on-one’s between managers, employees and peers so there is a constant flow of information. It is important to avoid surprises and meet any issues head-on.
How are you tracking, monitoring or measuring employee sentiment when it comes to things like feeling respected, empowered and valued? How are you using this data to inform future HR initiatives?
We have annual reviews where managers will sit with each employee separately and discuss the past year’s work, if they met their goals and objectives, what can be improved upon, and any concerns they may have. We will then discuss the upcoming year’s goals and objectives again, to avoid surprises and ensure that everyone feels respected and empowered.
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