8 Tips for managing workplace personalities

Mounting evidence suggests that the workplace environment has a direct effect on the performance of your employees. Many different factors can affect your team’s morale, so it’s important to know how to manage the aspects that are within your control.

One of the most common issues a company can run into is managing different personalities in the workplace. Regular Leaders in Heels Contributor, Ros Cardinal, shares 8 tips to managing workplace personalities, including ones that clash!

Consider How a Positive Environment Affects Your Employees

Both the environment and social relationships in the workplace have a huge impact on employee performance. A happy, positive work environment encourages your workers to be patient and collaborative. Clashing personalities, however, can cause an array of problems that range from failing to meet daily goals, to improper behaviour by one or more team members.

So, how can you manage different personalities in your team?

Always remember that each person is unique, so they may have different perceptions than you do. However, the main goal is to remain impartial and learn how to effectively manage different personalities in the workplace.

Remind Everyone You’re a Team!

A lot of your employees see their peers as potential competition. Eradicate this mentality by reminding everyone you’re a team. You can even design a group commission system that urges your employees to collaborate regularly.

Encourage Open Communication

Not only should you tell your team to communicate, but you should also give them the tools they need to do so. Deploying a chat platform and an internal knowledge base can help them open better communication lines and build a collection of resources at the same time.

Hold Weekly Group Meetings and Private Sessions

You should carry out group meetings and individual sessions with each team member in order to get to know your workforce as a whole. The group meetings will give you ideas on the tools they need. Individual sessions, on the other hand, will help you understand the isolated challenges you can help your employees tackle.

Establish Ground Rules

The first step is to establish ground rules about acceptable behaviour. Chances are you already have guidelines in place, so just give your team a refresher course. Make sure you focus on the way team members interact with each other and provide tips on how to report inappropriate occurrences.

Cut Down Gossiping Whenever You Can

Gossiping is an inevitable part of any office environment. Instead of feeding or ignoring it altogether, take every opportunity to cut down any claims. Remind coworkers that it’s unprofessional in a non-threatening way and encourage them to focus on productivity rather than rumours.

Treat Everyone Equally

As a supervisor or manager, it’s hard not to create different perceptions of your employees. But, treating two people differently can quickly add fuel to the fire. Make sure you treat all your employees equally and avoid playing favourites to maintain a calm atmosphere.

Don’t Play the Blame Game

If you are forced to intervene directly, always remember to stay neutral and avoid playing the blame game. This will help you stay objective and prevent your employees from feeling alienated.

Define Responsibilities Early On

Defining responsibilities early on can help prevent clashes while allowing your employees to focus on what they are good at. Just remember that some responsibilities are shared, so you should find a way to monitor that each employee is collaborating accordingly.

Managing your human capital may be tricky, but it’s one of the best ways to improve your team’s performance across the board. The tips above will allow you to manage clashing personalities in the workplace and create a positive work environment for your team members.

About the author, Ros Cardinal