Qualities that interfere with work. The main restrictions that prevent employees from working effectively. What often interferes with your work?
At any job, we are always faced with the fact that we are prevented from doing our direct work. These could be office colleagues or employees from another department. Even if you become an individual entrepreneur and work alone, someone will still constantly interfere with your work.
WHAT HINDERS YOU WORKING EFFECTIVELY
Imagine that you are sitting and making a prepared plan for the day. And then they start adding one task after another to you. The problem is compounded if you have multiple managers working on you, each of whom may approach you personally. In this case, there is no need to talk about any productivity, since our brain is a single-tasking machine. And at the same time he can only work on one task or project.
It especially interferes with work when VKontakte, Skype, ICQ and cell phone are on. All experts who study the capabilities of the brain confirm that a person cannot do two things at the same time; a person also cannot work productively in a state of stress or when he is constantly pulled out of the work process by meetings, meetings and coffee breaks.
A colleague who decides to ask you something can also be a distraction. Not to mention any events. For example, interesting events often happen in the local technology park. But if you visit each of them, there will be almost no time left for work.
Or another example. I give lectures at a local university. The week before last I was invited to a meeting in the middle of the workday. And last week they offered to undergo a medical examination.
PROTECT YOUR JOB
Colleagues will definitely interfere with your work. They don’t do this on purpose, but if you agree with everything they suggest, then you can go to fluorography day and night, take blood tests and sit in counter-productive meetings.
When I started working from home as an individual entrepreneur, I was faced with a wall of misunderstanding among people close to me. They don’t understand that I, like all people, need to work a lot and persistently in order to get outstanding results tomorrow.
Whatever interferes with your work, you need to try to protect yourself from external interference. Clearly setting plans helps me with this. Now I can afford to take a break from work. But I try to do this only after the optimal plan has been completed and the desired results have been achieved for the day.
1. Unqualified employees. They are distinguished by insufficient mastery of professional skills and an inadequate combination of professional and human qualities. Some economists believe that every work group should have “idea providers,” “analysts,” “directors,” “planners,” “restrainers,” and “doers.” The combination of roles depends on the characteristics of the team, while one employee can combine several roles.
2. Leader's unsuitability- this is his inability to unite employees into a single team and inspire them to effective work methods.
3. Poor performance results. It is necessary to constantly show persistence in achieving important goals, as this contributes to high self-esteem of team members and the growth of personal professionalism.
4. Unconstructive team climate. It is characterized by a lack of commitment to common goals and mutual support between employees.
5. Insufficient professionalism and culture of employees. Employees must have high professional training, as well as be energetic, ready to openly and convincingly express their opinions, be able to manage emotions, and have the ability to change their point of view taking into account arguments.
6. Weak creativity personnel and unconstructive relationships with other teams.
7.Vagueness of goals. Poor coordination of personal and collective goals, inability of management and team members to compromise.
8. Ineffective work methods. Attention should be paid to the proper organization of collecting and providing information, its analysis, and making correct and timely decisions.
9. Lack of openness. It is necessary to periodically discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the work performed and existing disagreements.
The main features characteristic of the team:
Job hierarchy, chain of command;
Division of functions between personnel, reflected in rules or instructions;
The loyalty of each employee to his team members.
Types of relationships in the “manager-subordinate” system
There are four types of relationships in the “manager-subordinate” system: command, suggestion, participation and delegation.
1. An order is recommended to be used in cases of low professionalism, when the performer is not ready to independently complete the task and does not want to take responsibility. The manager’s task is to instruct the employee and focus on achieving results.
2. Suggestion should be used at levels from average
to the high professional maturity of the employee: subordinates are not yet capable, but are already ready to take responsibility. This requires both guidance and support to help accomplish the task.
3. Participation is most effective for employees with medium to high levels of professional maturity. The employee is already capable of independently completing the task, and in such a situation, psychological support, joint discussion of the problem and making the necessary decisions are more required.
4. Delegation of authority is used when the level of professional maturity of the employee is sufficiently high.
Key actions that can reduce trust
employees to the manager:
The manager cannot admit his mistake and tries to find the culprit among his subordinate employees;
The other is responsible for the mistakes of one;
The reward for the work of one worker goes to another;
The proceedings take place during third periods or in the absence of the employee;
Important information is hidden from the performer;
An employee who is professionally capable of occupying a higher position does not receive promotion up the career ladder;
The decision is made without the participation of the employee;
A manager complains about a subordinate to a superior;
The level of discipline is not the same for all employees.
What does a manager who is afraid to point out a mistake have in common with a newbie who does not dare clarify the task? What qualities hinder both experienced professionals and green trainees, which need to be gotten rid of immediately - a psychologist, psychodiagnostician, coach, and NLP specialist told the portal Anna Sukhova.
- Anna, what qualities, in your opinion, hinder the work of both a newbie and an old-timer?
Psychologically, newcomers and old-timers behave in completely opposite ways. I offer some kind of comparative analysis that will help managers draw conclusions about their employees and teams, and find effective ways of communication.
Beginners: increased anxiety, afraid of everything, outwardly they seem very brave and active, but I make more and more mistakes and blunders. Beginners are embarrassed to ask clarifying questions, they are afraid that they will think badly of them and therefore they prefer to be clever where it is not at all worth doing. The main problem for beginners is ineffective time management: there is a lot of fuss, but few results. They are also hampered by excessive gullibility and the lack of a communication filter in the team.
Old-timers: These people behave confidently and self-centeredly. Everyone knows about everyone, and, naturally, they are always dissatisfied with employees, management, anyone and anything, just to explain to themselves why they work with insufficient motivation. Of course, laziness, lack of motivation and recognition force the old-timer to sometimes behave provocatively and arrogantly. Are they touchy, use various manipulative methods, “stand up in a pose” and just openly idle, “because no one will appreciate their zeal, what’s the point in doing this”?
Unfortunately, both old-timers and newcomers have primarily psychological problems, and we must understand what specific psychotype is in what situation?
Read also: Approaches to developing high potential employees: what actually works
- Do you have any clear examples of the discrepancy between a person’s character and the position he or she occupies?
In my consulting practice, I often encounter incongruence of temperament, character and personality in relation to the position held. The most common problem is when a leader who does not show rigidity avoids directive behavior at work. First of all, this discourages the team from a discipline point of view.
Familiarity sets in, and the manager simply loses authority, to the point that he cannot make a remark - subordinates manipulate dismissal “I’m ready to write a statement right now,” inaction “in this case, I won’t do anything at all,” and misunderstanding “I don’t know.” “How to do it, you are the leader, you will tell me.” In other words, subordinates with a soft leader begin to behave provocatively and defiantly.
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- But qualities that are bad for one are wonderful for another. For example, an “aggressive” sales manager can cost an entire department. What do you allow in the qualities of your employees that you don’t really like in general?
I believe that every person has his own potential and professional talent, the task of a creative leader is to think through the system and select an employee for each of its elements with the necessary leading motivation. Employees are best suited with achievement motivation, they can perform large volumes, they are psychologically dependent on personal professional results. At the same time, the power motive is necessary in the team in leadership positions, as well as in administrative and supervisory areas. Such people are simply priceless - they truly enjoy their work when they feel power and recognition. People with a motivation for harmony in communication are perfect fits in the personnel structure, in middle positions. The best job for them is to be in charge of employees' birthdays and control people's meals. The security motive is people who are cautious and fearful, they are the ones who can be good lawyers, double-checking all the details, excellent analysts, scrupulous accountants - people with increased anxiety will never take an important step without consulting and sharing responsibility with someone.
I believe that the main important quality is loyalty to the company, the rest can be learned, and vice versa, no matter how amazing a professional is, he will never be manageable if his loyalty to the company is absent.
Researchers have found out what reduces the work efficiency of St. Petersburg employees the most. The top main reasons look like this: lack of coordination between departments (57%), low salaries (46%), incomplete use of personal potential (42%), time pressure and stress (41%), lack of praise and rewards for good work (38% ), noisy colleagues and their chatter (33%). It is worth noting here that 51% of respondents admitted that they would work more productively in a secluded atmosphere - in a separate office, without colleagues nearby. The top distracting factors are completed by demotivation by the behavior of superiors (33%) and poor attitude of management towards subordinates (29%). The study involved 2418 people.
“Similar studies were conducted by the American company Gallup in the late 1990s,” recalls Alevtina Borisova, head of KPMG’s HR department in Russia and the CIS. “Having surveyed an impressive number of employees around the world, it was found that the key factors in general are not very different depending on the country and do not change over a long period of time." Exceptions, of course, are countries with a special approach to management, for example Japan.
Irina Portnova, senior consultant at CEB SHL Russia&CIS, says that the results obtained in the HeadHunter study are completely consistent with what the company receives every year by surveying more than 8 thousand employees in Russia and the CIS countries. Regardless of the region, fair financial reward for the efforts invested, recognition of merit from management, a feeling of comfort and the opportunity to realize one’s potential are always included in the rating. According to Tatyana Kanonerova, an expert in the career direction of HeadHunter, the top factors do not change from year to year, because the reason for the emergence of these factors is the same - weak management. “When managers plan employees’ work poorly, fail to establish interaction between departments and do not use the strengths of their subordinates, people do not enjoy their work and do it poorly. And this is not a problem of recent years. The basic principles of a good leader are timeless,” - she notes.
And yet he changes
However, not all experts consider the top distractions to be static. Thus, Andrey Beloyedov, executive director for sales and marketing at REHAU for Eastern Europe, on the contrary, says that now a unique situation has arisen when the effectiveness of employees is influenced by factors that most employers did not think about ten years ago. These changes are caused not by the policies of employers, but by deep social processes, for example, the infantilization of society and scientific and technological progress, believes Andrei Beloyedov.
"Century 21 Russia" conducts its research once every six months to identify potential reasons for the decline in employee performance. “Over the past 5 years, salary increases have become less influential on employee motivation,” says Elena Uteleva, deputy director of personnel. “In 2011, 52% of our respondents spoke about monetary incentives. In 2016, this figure was only 39%.”
If earlier people were more interested in a decent salary, respect and non-material rewards from their superiors, now the opportunity to realize their abilities is valued. “Please note that, first of all, reasons with an emotional component are aggravating; to put it simply, every year people increasingly need to be understood,” says Olga Kornienko, vice-president for personnel policy at the FGIK Razmax. Vladimir Vinogradov, President of Pro-Vision Group of Companies, says that the main factor that influenced the top reasons for the decline in personnel efficiency is the change of generations. Instead of X workers (born from 1963 to 1983), millennials, also known as Y (born from 1983 to 2003), have entered the workforce. That’s why intangible factors made it to the top - recognition from colleagues and management, feedback, etc.
The director of the St. Petersburg representative office of a recruiting company says that the rating compiled by HH indicates that employees have begun to pay more attention to their professional development and progress. “The level of wages will always be at the top of the causes of dissatisfaction, but a picture emerges that people understand: in order to further increase their well-being, they need to grow as a professional, solve more complex and responsible problems. Hence the appearance in the top of reasons that are not of a purely material nature.
For example, inconsistency in work practically nullifies an employee’s effectiveness; he runs in place instead of moving forward, which means he does not develop. For example, noisy colleagues. It would seem that you should join and lead, because “the salary is dripping.” But for many, it is more important to complete their tasks efficiently, grow as a professional and achieve new heights,” the expert says.
What the survey results say
HeadHunter research data shows that there are three main reasons that reduce staff productivity, notes Elena Kudryavtseva, associate professor of the Department of Management at the Higher School of Economics in St. Petersburg. “The first of them is the abundance of low-quality jobs, saturated with a large volume of routine work. Working in such positions quickly provokes burnout, leading to a drop in productivity,” says the expert.
The second problem is the design of work spaces. Open spaces (from the English open space - open space) were introduced in the Western style for more convenient work in a team, but as a result they deprived employees of the opportunity to concentrate on solving their problems and increased stress. Experts explain: 55% of respondents want to work in separate rooms because they have become individualists.
The third reason for the decline in productivity, according to Kudryavtseva, is the nature of the corporate culture, which allows either a constant mixture of work and personal communication, or, conversely, an overly harsh attitude towards employees in the form of demands for special asceticism, which does not allow any distractions at work." Both equally negatively affects workers, experts say.
The high percentage of employees who named stress as an important factor (41%) interfering with their effectiveness is due, psychologists explain, to the fact that people are tired of working in the format of a feat, as required by the employer during the last crisis years. The saying “the best motivation is having a job” no longer applies.
“Some time ago, a really large percentage of employees participating in such studies noted that the company’s stable position in the market (“I’m protected, I won’t be fired”), the availability of social packages and, of course, the level of wages are important to them. The results of today’s surveys show that the emphasis has shifted to the essence of the work and the desire of workers to make the most of their potential,” confirms psychologist Yulia Pryakhina.
Note to boss
“The top main reasons for the decline in employee efficiency will worsen and expand: the thinking systems of managers and performers do not keep pace with the development of the modern world,” warns business coach Oleg Aavi.
In the struggle for employee efficiency, employers are forced to come up with various measures. “Last year we launched the Make My Life Easier project, in which we encourage employees to optimize their work processes: contact each other less with urgent requests, respect the time of their colleagues, reduce the number of meetings, reduce the number of letters, and so on,” says the business – HR partner at Coca-Cola HBC Russia Galina Podovzhnaya on how the company deals with distractions.
Pro-Vision Group conducted a survey similar to HH for its employees and, based on its results, developed a campaign aimed at increasing staff motivation and engagement. It was called “Pro-Vision Dream Team: 18+”: the company organized a photo shoot for its employees, the purpose of which was to make the employee feel like they were eighteen years old again. The photo results were then compiled into a calendar for employees, clients and partners. “We made our own for the first time employees as stars, and did not hide them backstage (behind the scenes - editor's note)," the company explained.
In order not to lose specialists due to lack of praise for good work, SearchInform began using the TimeInformer program, which shows department managers the productivity of employees so that they can clearly see when and who to reward.
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During employment, even a seemingly trivial detail that has little meaning at first glance can play a decisive role. It's good if it works to your advantage. But it may also be “minus”. To prevent this from happening, try to be more focused and attentive when looking for a job.
The job responsibilities of the same specialists at different enterprises may differ quite significantly from each other. Typically, employers mention specifics in job advertisements. Try to take these differences into account when writing your resume. A clear focus makes a better impression than a formulaic message from a mass mailing.
And after sending your resume, don’t be lazy to call the company and find out if your letter has arrived and when you can expect a response. By doing this, you will let the manager know that you care where to work, that you are really interested in employment and want to get a position at his company. Such applicants will definitely outperform those who are passive and do not show initiative.
To grandfather's village...
Irina Vysochkina, HR manager at LEKO, says that her company receives many calls from those who have no idea what they will have to do in a new place.
“It seems that the person simply saw the phone number published in the ad, took it and called. And why, he himself doesn’t really know. Just in case... I believe that the search for a suitable job should always be carried out more purposefully by everyone, without wasting your own and other people's time. And that still happens. We call the person who sent his resume to our company, and he is surprised: “Did I send you something? I do not remember...". But I usually remember such applicants. And if he sends his resume to our company again, I’m unlikely to invite him for an interview. Where is the guarantee that this time he won’t be just as imposing and inattentive?
Don’t want this kind of “fame” to stick to you, but don’t rely on your memory? Then make yourself a cheat sheet: write down on a separate piece of paper all the companies where you sent your resume, the vacancies for which you are applying, and the date the letter was sent. Hang your cheat sheet next to your phone. Now none of the calls from employers will take you by surprise.
Are you applying? Conform!
The candidate must be suitable for the position for which he is applying. And it’s not just about knowledge, skills and abilities. Your appearance, the way you are dressed, can also “tell” a lot to the employer. Maria Antonova, recruitment manager for the national retail chain Gradient, recalls that one of the candidates for the position of sales consultant for decorative cosmetics came to her for an interview... in a tracksuit and without a hint of makeup. It is clear that this girl was left without work.
He who is silent will not receive
There are two more points that many personnel officers and recruiters would like to draw the attention of applicants to. First, if you are asked something in an interview, try not to limit yourself to monosyllabic “yes,” “no,” or “I don’t know.” Don't force them to extract more detailed answers from you. This, of course, does not mean that you should talk non-stop. But excessive silence is also not the best behavior.
Secondly, there is no need to complain during a life interview.
“Such applicants are from the breed of whiners,” says Irina Vysochkina. “A man recently came to me for an interview. He looks like he's completely down in the dumps: sad, despondent. Almost from the first minute he began to talk about his troubles, asking for someone to take him in. I, of course, sympathized with him, but we don’t need “anyone” in the company. We have a vacancy open for a specialist, a successful professional. And for pessimists, their whole life is one big problem. Everything they undertake is pure torment for them. As a result, for such people everything turns out worse than for others, even if they work day and night. If I see that a candidate who has come for an interview is from the breed of eternal complainers, I try to say goodbye to him as quickly as possible. And, on the contrary: with those who believe in themselves, in their success, who are determined to win, our company is ready to cooperate. We always need such people.
Briefly about the main thing
So, let's draw the line. To please an employer, you need to:
- create a resume for a vacancy taking into account the specifics of the company to which you are sending it. You can learn about the distinctive features of the position if you carefully read the requirements for the candidate specified in the advertisements and the responsibilities that he will have to perform. Be sure to collect as much information as possible about the company itself. The Internet will help you do this: almost every company there has its own website;
- search actively and purposefully, without wasting time on calls and negotiations for vacancies that are definitely not suitable for you;
- do not play “silence” during an interview, forcing the employer to literally use pincers to extract detailed answers to questions from you;
- when meeting with a future leader, exude self-confidence and optimism. Just don’t overdo it: successful employees are in demand, not arrogant ones;
- your appearance should also “work” towards the purpose of your resume. You can't go wrong if you choose a business suit for an interview.
If you do everything right, your reward will be a new job.