Toxicity in the fashion industry is prevalent. Anyone who has worked in fashion has experienced or seen a form of injustice in the workplace. A study conducted by Fashionista found that 81 percent of its 640 surveyors said they had been bullied by coworkers at least once. Moreover, 72 percent of participants stated that they had been publicly humiliated by their bosses as a form of punishment. This survey revealed that toxicity is still prominent in the fashion world, but what can we do about it? Down below are nine ways to improve a toxic work culture provided by INC.
Start Working Down into the Organization:
Many workplaces suffer from those who are in command. Leaders who dictate and micromanage damage the workplace. That is why you can make fast cultural progress if you start providing greater autonomy and letting people do what they were hired to do.
Address Underperformers:
The longevity of your best talent will decrease if you continue to allow space for underperformers without retribution. Ensure underperformers understand their status and keep them accountable. Holding everyone equally responsible is a positive contributor to the culture along the way.
Prioritize Resources:
Employees who don’t have the resources to succeed at what they’ve been asked to deliver eventually become so frustrated that they’ll do less with what they currently have.
Establishing Openness:
Transparency, vulnerability, and honesty in your communications are essential for employees. It allows them to share concerns without and provide feedback confidently.
Implementing Authenticity:
Toxic behavior can be traced back to people feeling like nobody cares about them. Progress can be made by leaders taking a genuine interest in employees’ personal growth and career development.
Clarify Promotion Criteria:
Re-establishing a transparent, fair promotion criterion to everyone will ensure that leadership will not play favorites.
Craft a Clear Vision:
Create a clear and compelling vision that employees can constantly believe and follow.
Interject Reality and Hope
Toxic environments likely have employees who feel a sense of hopelessness. That is why you must provide a clear state of the union while giving genuine reasons for hope.
Establish the Rules of Risk-Taking
Establishing and broadly communicating what the rules of risk-taking are. What constitutes a reasonable risk? A bad one? And Who needs to approve risks?
Doaa Dashoush is an experienced businesswoman in the fashion industry. She currently serves as the President and CEO of GFASHION, a global luxury brand currently based in New York City. GFASHION prides themselves on their unique approach to the industry. They don’t follow trends set by others. The Luxury brand focuses on innovative design through their work with the top designers on collections that reflect the company’s craftsmanship.