Addressing Inconsistent Standards in the Workplace

“Do as I say, not as I do.” As many parents can attest, those words may be effective in the moment, but they don’t achieve long-term behavior change. The same goes for desired behaviors in the workplace.

Inconsistent standards in the workplace can take many forms – the most obvious being a contradiction between what a leader says and what the leader does. But sometimes the inconsistencies are more subtle because they’re part of organizational culture and employees believe that’s just the way things are. Ask organizational leaders about their harassment prevention efforts and most would provide a list of all the things they’re doing right: training, respectful workplace messaging, zero-tolerance policies, and resources to handle complaints. However, some organizations experience a disconnect that its leaders may not readily recognize.

That means, even though employees understand the expectations to speak up against harassment, have the skills to do so, and feel confident, they may not speak up because they recognize inconsistencies in the standards of behavior within their team or the organization. Why speak up if the behavior is acceptable in some circles? Or why speak up if leaders don’t? 

In addition to inhibiting employees from speaking up – which allows inappropriate or disrespectful conduct to continue unchecked – inconsistent standards can be a catalyst for apathy and resentment, negatively impacting morale, teamwork, and productivity.

Research has shown that speaking up against harassment is more easily accomplished when the organizational culture shows that the individual is respected and valued, and there are consistent standards.

What can organizations do when their employees perceive inconsistent standards?

Leaders can work together to cultivate these 7 strategies designed to build communication, consistency, and accountability:

• Do I maintain professional boundaries on my team by stopping inappropriate low-level conduct when I see it or hear it? Or do I let low-level behaviors go?
• Are there any organizational practices or policies that contribute to inconsistencies?

2. Communicate, communicate, communicate. Use the answers to the above questions to inform a communication plan to align behavioral standards (or turn around perceptions). Explain to employees that leadership is committed to:

• Speaking up against harassment
• Maintaining professional standards
• Establishing professional conduct standards for our teams
• Addressing disrespect and low-level inappropriate conduct when we see it
• Assessing our policies and practices to determine whether they contribute to inconsistent standards, and revising them if they do
•  Creating a safe environment in which all employees feel valued and respected

3. Build New Skills. Offer additional training on how to be an upstander and how to have difficult conversations. Consider team building training for managers to assess potential team problems (which may account for the inconsistent standards or the perception of an organizational misalignment).  Managers can use this Team Bill of Rights Tool to help set and maintain standards.

The clip below shows how employees become upstanders for respect when they're trained to speak out against harassment and bullying.

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_{How Was Your Day? clip ©2023 Atana}

4. Reinforce your harassment prevention training. Consider having a team meeting or lunch and learn and use the activity below.

If you identify team problems that are creating inconsistent standards (see strategy #3), use this meeting to address those issues and reiterate your commitment to realign expectations going forward.

5. Foster open communication. Make it okay for employees to bring concerns forward, including concerns about inconsistent standards. To nurture an environment in which employees are comfortable coming to you, build connections with your employees with regular check-ins and team meetings.

Maintain professional boundaries but leave room for human-to-human connection. In other words, think about your employees as people first and workers second. Use the quick check below to see where you stand now.

 While business goals are first and foremost, we spend a lot of time together in the workplace. Make it a safe and respectful environment – but a human one too.

6. Applaud the ideal. Recognize upstander behaviors as positive and integral to the organization. No need to blow trumpets or have a ticker tape parade when one of your employees has the courage to tell a co-worker their actions are disrespectful, or better left outside of work. But it is important to acknowledge the journey toward a respectful work environment, and everyone’s part in it. Acknowledge that it’s hard, but important. 

Watch the clip below to see how a manager can lead their team in these efforts.

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_{Once & For All clip ©2023 Atana}

7. Create a culture of trust and respect. Show that you value each employee by nurturing an environment in which trust, respect, and fairness are part of the organizational culture. Establish standards of acceptable professional conduct at work and hold all employees (and yourself) accountable to the same standards. Use the 11 Point Checklist below for guidance.

Amanda Hagman, Ph.D. | Chief Scientist: Behavioral Data Science
Dr. Hagman is an expert in behavior change and intervention science, adept at turning data into practical solutions that drive meaningful change in workplace behaviors. With a background in program evaluation and learning analytics, she uses predictive insights to foster positive behavioral outcomes on a large scale. As head of research at Atana, Dr. Hagman integrates behavioral change principles into training courses tackling common workplace issues. Her work targeting critical behavioral goals is designed to deliver concrete and lasting improvements for organizations.