Five surprising facts about employee behavior in the office: what managers need to know

In a corporate environment, understanding and utilizing employee behavioral traits can significantly increase productivity, improve teamwork, and achieve overall success. SSPDaily has prepared five facts about the behavior of employees in the office.

Morning honesty and self-control

Studies show that ethical behavior, such as honesty and sound judgment, is closely related to employee fatigue. Employees tend to demonstrate higher levels of moral awareness and self-control in the morning, but may be more prone to unethical behavior in the afternoon.

With this in mind, important meetings where opinions are expressed on company issues are best scheduled for the morning, as employees may be more receptive. However, brainstorming sessions aimed at generating innovative ideas are best done in the evening to keep things fresh and avoid lapses in concentration caused by fatigue.

Friendships in the office lead to better teamwork

Fostering friendships in the workplace has a positive effect on trust and teamwork dynamics. The more employees communicate and build relationships with their colleagues, the higher the level of trust and cooperation.

Working in a friendly and supportive atmosphere increases the effectiveness of teamwork, generates more joint projects, stimulates joy, and improves overall efficiency. Moreover, the longer employees work together to achieve common goals, the stronger their bond, which promotes mutual warmth and camaraderie.

Embrace conflict to improve team performance

Contrary to popular belief, conflicts in a team are not necessarily destructive or counterproductive. In fact, conflicts are a sign of active engagement and diversity of problem-solving among team members. Engaging in healthy discussions allows colleagues to release tension, increase competition, find innovative solutions, and ultimately improve team performance.

Managers should actively encourage conflict resolution, as its outcomes help to strengthen team bonds and cohesion. However, it is important to distinguish between workplace conflicts related to disagreements over task performance and personal animosity that hinders productivity and cooperation.

Motivation is important from different perspectives

Motivation in the workplace comes from a variety of sources. Some are driven by intrinsic motivations for personal growth and self-realization, while others are inspired by external factors such as financial rewards, company stock, or public recognition. To ensure consistently high performance, it is not enough to satisfy only one motivational need.

It is essential to create a strong corporate structure in which needs are met with substantial support. Many organizations have a stressful culture, characterized by enormous pressure and limited resources. However, a sustainable "culture of achievement" thrives where high expectations are balanced by strong leadership support.

Balance between deadlines and work-life balance

While dedication and hard work are admirable qualities, constant workaholism can have detrimental consequences. In the short term, overloading employees with tasks may seem beneficial. However, in the long run, it leads to fatigue, unhappiness, and an increased likelihood of unforeseen failures.

To ensure consistent results, managers need to avoid excessive workloads and maintain a work-life balance. If employees are constantly working late into the night to meet deadlines, this indicates a misallocation of time or an excessive workload, and it is the responsibility of the manager to address this issue.