Is your office people-environment normal? Many things that we wish wouldn't happen, do happen every day in a normal office. Deadlines are missed, people don't get along with one another, someone breaks the rules. All of these things are normal, day-to-day problems that can be easily dealt with.
So, how do you determine if things are a bit off track, and your office management is in trouble? Here are some clear signs.
1. The leadership is reactive rather than proactive
When leadership is good, proactive things happen, and workers are all generally moving toward a positive goal.
When management is reactive, all work in the office is focused on solving problems. In a reactive environment, it is very hard to make progress.
2. More than 50% of the time 100% of the staff isn't working
I often ask supervisors in my training classes how productive they think their employees are. The normal response is 50%. This means that 50% of the time, most supervisors feel that their staff is producing a good product.
If a staff is less productive than this, it is a sign that there are problems. Rather than working, the staff is either complaining about their supervisors, or consumed with senseless tasks.
3. The staff mutinies
When an entire staff refuses to work, there is a problem. A mutiny is often tied to safety issues. The staff feels that, if they continue to work, they will be in danger of having an accident.
4. Most of the staff is complaining about the leadership
It is normal for everyone to complain about their supervisor sometimes, especially just after a new policy or procedure is put into place. What is abnormal is if all of the staff is complaining about the leadership all of the time.
5. Good, well-respected workers resign
A normal office has a steady flow of workers in and out. What is abnormal is entire departments turning over each year, or a steady outflow of the best workers.
About the Author:
Ruth Haag (www.ManageLiving.com) is the President and CEO of Haag Environmental Company, a hazardous waste consulting firm. Ruth is also a business management consultant. She trains supervisors to identify their shortcomings and tame them, while creating management systems that focus on their employees rather than themselves.She is also the author of several books, including a four-book series on supervisory management which includes Taming Your Inner Supervisor, Day to Day Supervising, Hiring and Firing and Why Projects Fail. She and her partner, Bob Haag, host the weekly radio show Manage Living, which can be heard on-demand on her site.
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Is your office people-environment normal? Many things that we wish wouldn't happen, do happen every day in a normal office. Deadlines are missed, people don't get along with one another, someone breaks the rules. All of these things are normal, day-to-day problems that can be easily dealt with. 
