Most of us spend a considerable amount of our waking hours at work. We may spend more time with our work colleagues and customers than with our own families and loved ones. Therefore, our workplace relationships are a significant part of our lives.
Building healthy and effective relationships at work is not about making best friends. We can work well with people we aren’t friends with. However, just like our personal relationships, building and maintaining work relationships is not easy. Yet when we manage to do so, there are many benefits.
Important relationships in early learning
For an educator within an early learning service, there are three important relationships they need to build and nurture.
1. Colleagues
Working in an early learning service can be quite a demanding and busy job. For the service to function effectively it’s necessary that all staff, not just the educators, work well together.
2. Parents and other family members
The parents of children are a very important element of an early learning service. They decide which service they will have their child attend and how often. A positive relationship with parents may make them more comfortable with leaving their children with the service.
3. Children
Obviously children are a key relationship for any early learning staff member. Whilst the children may not make the decision to attend the service, their happiness and contentment when at the service will be very important to their parents.
Why building relationships can be difficult
A relationship is defined as a connection between two or more people. However sometimes the connection isn’t by choice. For those of us who are not responsible for staff recruitment, we’re expected to work with, and therefore spend a great deal of time with, people we have not chosen to have a connection with. Our work connections are forced connections and sometimes there is little more than work in common.
Some of these relationships can easily turn into meaningful and enjoyable relationships when we find ourselves getting along well with someone in the workplace. However this isn’t always the case. Unfortunately, sometimes we just don’t ‘click’ with the people we interact with at work.
Relationships in the workplace can also be challenging as we are often so busy when at work. We aren’t there to primarily work on a relationship; we’re there to do our jobs. And sometimes the pressures and demands of a busy job can add a strain to these relationships. We’re also rarely taught how to build a relationship. While it is something we can learn informally through life experiences, we usually only receive little, if any, formal training about the importance of relationships and how to develop them.
Why effective workplace relationships are important
Effective workplace relationships serve a number of purposes. The more we get along with someone, the more we’re likely to work well with them. Our teamwork and support for each other will improve and this can lead to our work being more productive and successful. Working well with someone is also likely to lead to us enjoying our work more. And when we’re enjoying being at work, our performance and productivity can improve.
From a work health and safety perspective, respectful relationships in the workplace are related to greater job satisfaction, effective teamwork as well as reduced sick leave and staff turnover. Respectful relationships help prevent bullying and other negative behaviours in the workplace. An early learning service that is characterised as respectful creates a positive atmosphere for workers, parents and children.
Even when there is a great working relationship with colleagues, we can still encounter problems or conflicts in the workplace. This is a normal part of any workplace; we can’t expect to always agree and get along. However, having a sound relationship where staff feel they can be open and honest with each other will assist when trying to deal with issues. Guild Insurance sees many claims every year that relate to workplace issues. In some of these cases it appears that the staff members involved have not been able to, or tried to, sit down together to discuss the matter, understand the different perspectives and come to an agreement before taking it further.
Relationships with children who attend your service and their parents are vital to the success of your business as they’re your customers; without them you don’t have a business. Developing a relationship with both children and parents assists to develop their trust in and respect for you, something needed when leaving a child in the care of another person. It’s also possible that good relationships between parents and staff may assist when there is an issue or problem at the service, such as a child injuring them self. The better the relationship, the more likely parents may be understanding if there was an incident involving their child.
How to build effective relationships
There are many things which can contribute to building an effective relationship in the workplace. Most of us will agree that any relationship requires trust, honesty, open communication and support. Additionally, constructive feedback, positive role models, reliability, the promotion of diversity and equality, recognition of contributions, an agreement of shared goals and collaboration all contribute to positive working relationships.
However, these things don’t just happen. People need to be committed to making time to develop and nurture their workplace relationships. This can be done in formal ways such as team meetings or staff development programs on topics such as teamwork or communication. It can also be done informally, such as by taking the time to chat to colleagues about non-work matters and getting to know each other better.
To build an effective relationship it’s important to understand and appreciate each person for who they are. We know we’re all different in so many ways, yet sometimes in our busy lives this can be forgotten. We can become frustrated when people don’t see things the way we do. However, if we use these differences as a positive by recognising and utilising our different strengths and ideas, we can become much more productive when working together. Differing opinions or disagreements within a working relationship doesn’t have to be a bad thing. If used well it can become a positive for the relationship and the workplace.
Active listening is vital in your relationships with colleagues, families and children. Active listening is about not just hearing what the other person is saying but really understanding everything they’re saying. You need to show the person that you’re hearing them (use eye contact whilst they’re talking, don’t look away) and respond to them in ways that show you’ve heard them. You don’t have to say you agree with them however by repeating what you’ve heard shows the person that you’ve understood them. This is particularly beneficial in situations where there is conflict or other type of challenging conversation.
And finally, don’t take your workplace relationships for granted. Like any relationship, they need to be valued, nurtured and repaired if there are problems. Remember that when all is going well in the relationship, there can be significant benefits for you and your workplace.
Building workplace relationships in early learning
Bullying in the workplace is a serious work health and safety issue which affects all workplaces, including early learning centres. Guild Insurance regularly manages workers compensation claims where there are allegations of staff members being bullied. Bullying negatively impacts both employees as well as the business they work for; therefore, it’s something all businesses should be aware of and be consciously working towards eradicating
What is and isn’t bullying?
Bullying is repeated unreasonable behaviour directed towards workers. Bullying can occur in many forms; it may be physical or psychological, it can be direct and obvious or indirect and subtle. Examples of bullying are:
- Behaving aggressively
- Teasing or practical jokes
- Pressuring someone to behave inappropriately
- Excluding someone from work related activities or events
- Abusive or offensive comments
- Belittling or humiliating comments
Sometimes workers believe any behaviour or action in the workplace which makes them feel uncomfortable is bullying. However, this isn’t the case. Actions carried out by management, such as disciplinary action or feedback about poor performance, isn’t bullying when done reasonably. Disagreements are also generally not bullying when they’re handled reasonably. There are other workplace behaviours, such as discrimination and sexual harassment, which while completely unacceptable, won’t necessarily be considered bullying depending on the circumstances.
Bullying doesn’t just occur in a face to face physical setting. More and more cases are being reported of bullying occurring online using social media. This online behaviour can be easier to hide and often won’t occur during work hours, yet the consequences for employees and employers are just as severe.
Consequences of workplace bullying
There can be many consequences, both for individuals and the workplace, when bullying is taking place.
Firstly, it is the responsibility of all employees to create and maintain a safe work environment. If a workplace isn’t taking reasonable steps to prevent and manage bullying, this may be seen as a breach of WHS laws.
Bullying can lead to serious physical and psychological harm with people suffering from depression, stress, anxiety and emotional exhaustion. It is well recognised that workers suffering from physical or psychological harm are more likely to take sick days and not be as productive as they would hope to be when at work. Bullying can also lead to a level of staff resignations.
Preventing and dealing with bullying
There are numerous ways employees, employers and workplaces can reduce the likelihood of bullying occurring. There are also many resources available to support this.
1. Workplace culture
To create and maintain a workplace where bullying doesn’t exist, it’s important to start by addressing the culture of that early learning centre. Managers and senior staff need to be sure they’re leading by example in the behaviour they demonstrate and expect of their staff. All staff should be expected to treat their colleagues fairly and with respect, and this behaviour must start with those most senior.
It is also vital that a culture is created where staff feel comfortable speaking up if there is something they’re unhappy about. If a staff member feels they’re being bullied by a colleague, it’s ideal that they speak to their manager first before considering making a formal complaint against the centre. Yet for this to happen, this openness and willingness to discuss concerns needs to be supported and encouraged.
A key step an early learning centre should take to prevent bullying occurring is to be sure no one thinks it won’t happen in their workplace. Bullying behaviour unfortunately can occur in any workplace. However, if a manager thinks their centre is immune, it’s possible they won’t put in place the necessary process to prevent this which could place them at greater risk.
2. Business policies
Early learning centres all have an extensive list of policies for their business. There are many policies which are required from a regulatory perspective. However, all centres should consider what other areas they should develop policies for beyond those required; bullying is an example of this. A policy on workplace bullying should include information about what a staff member should do if they’re experiencing bullying and how the centre will respond to this. Workplaces should also have a social media policy which sets out appropriate social media behaviour for both personal and professional use.
The benefit of having a policy, rather than just stating what’s required, is that it formally sets the standard that all staff are expected to abide by and can be continually referred to. However, for policies to be effective they need to be known about and be accessible for all staff. This means centres need a process for making sure staff are aware of the policies they need to adhere to.
3. Performance management processes
Performance management discussions can unfortunately lead to staff confusing feedback with bullying. This confusion can often occur due to the way the performance appraisal is delivered. It’s incredibly important that managers are undertaking their role in a reasonable manner so that it doesn’t cross that line and become bullying.
Addressing poor performance shouldn’t be put off until an official staff feedback or review discussion. Doing this means that a staff member’s poor performance will continue for some time without them being aware. Receiving this unexpected feedback only at review time can be viewed as unfair and unreasonable by staff members.
When discussions are had regarding performance issues, staff should be encouraged to have a support person there with them. This person can provide them with moral support during the meeting as well as afterwards. A record of these discussions should be made so there is a history of what was said by all parties and what was agreed to.
The Fairwork Ombudsman provides resources to assist with managing underperforming staff members, this information can be found at www.fairwork.gov.au/how-we-will-help/templates-and-guides/best-practice-guides/managing-underperformance.
4. Additional resources
Preventing and managing bullying is not easy; therefore there are resources available to assist workplaces with this challenge. For assistance with understanding what bullying is, how to prevent it and what both employees and employers should do if it does occur, refer to the follow sites:
www.fairwork.gov.au/employee-entitlements/bullying-and-harassment
www.fwc.gov.au/disputes-at-work/anti-bullying
www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/bullying
Workplace bullying in early learning
It may surprise you to know that complaints about orthoses are a common source of podiatry claims to Guild Insurance.
Common allegations include:
- The orthoses caused the client to suffer a new injury, such as a hip or lower back problem.
- The orthoses exacerbated the client’s existing or underlying condition.
- The orthoses failed to resolve the client’s presenting problem.
Any claim against you, whether substantiated or not, can be distressing. Your good reputation may be damaged leading to undue criticism from other healthcare providers and reduced client referrals. Furthermore, complaints to agencies such as AHPRA may take many months to resolve resulting in a prolonged period of uncertainty.
Managing client expectations through effective communication is central to avoiding claims against you. Key issues to discuss with clients include, but are not limited to:
- Discuss the range of options available to treat the individual’s condition. Take the time to discuss the pros and cons of each option, including costs and risks.Ensure the client understands the difference in expectations between pre-formed and custom-made orthoses.
- Make sure the client understands what outcomes he or she can realistically expect to achieve with the orthoses. Remember, what is obvious to you may be completely foreign to the client.However, don’t just ask them if they understand, as in many cases they’ll say yes even if they don’t.It’s better to ask the client to tell you what they’ve understood from the discussion.
- Where suitable, use visual aids such as diagrams and models to help explain the information.
- Allow clients adequate opportunity to ask questions and weigh-up their options, including the financial implications of their choice.Give them time to make their decision, they shouldn’t be expected to decide at the appointment where they were given the information.They may wish to think about it for a few days.
- Provide clear instructions about how the orthoses are to be used, including choice of footwear and any prescribed exercises or stretches.Carefully explain the implications of not following your instructions.
- Remember to discuss the expected life span of the orthoses and any instructions for ongoing care.
- Emphasise the importance of attending all follow-up appointments and contacting you immediately if they have any concerns.Remember to outline the early warning signs of any complications and urge the client to contact you as soon as any issues arise.
- Where possible, provide clients with written information for them to take away and read in their own time.Sometimes people are not able to absorb everything they’re told during an appointment.However, written information should only be used to re-enforce what was discussed, not as a replacement for the conversation.
Finally, remember to clearly document your discussion and the outcomes in the client’s clinical notes. Good clinical notes are invaluable in the event of a complaint against you.
Orthoses - Managing Expectations