{"id":124297,"date":"2023-02-28T09:57:18","date_gmt":"2023-02-28T09:57:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.phorest.com\/?p=124297"},"modified":"2023-03-01T13:11:56","modified_gmt":"2023-03-01T13:11:56","slug":"sophia-hilton-workplace-toxicity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.phorest.com\/au\/blog\/sophia-hilton-workplace-toxicity\/","title":{"rendered":"Sophia Hilton On Workplace Toxicity – Salon Owners Summit 2023 Recap"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If there\u2019s one way to get rid of the 3 pm slump, it\u2019s by dancing maniacally to booming music in a room full of over 600 people, which is exactly what Sophia Hilton gets the audience to do when she bursts onto the stage at the 2023 Salon Owners Summit<\/a>. Founder and self-proclaimed \u201cboss lady\u201d of NOT ANOTHER London<\/a>, Hilton is an entrepreneur, stylist, social media whizz, and business coach who exudes energy and positivity. Today, she\u2019s talking about workplace toxicity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beginning her talk, Hilton asks the crowd whether they\u2019ve ever experienced a toxic person; at home, in the workplace, or out in public. There are many positive responses and nodding heads. She then turns the question on the audience, asking them if they\u2019ve<\/em> ever been a toxic person. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cToxicity is not binary,\u201d says Hilton. A toxic employee may be a perfectly pleasant friend or partner and vice versa. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She describes toxicity as \u201cbehaviours that create challenges or cause pain to others intentionally or unintentionally,\u201d before going on to get answers from the crowd about what toxicity means to them. The answers range from the feeling of \u201cwalking on eggshells\u201d around staff to selfishness and secrecy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Usually, she explains, toxicity is a symptom <\/em>that stems from a cause, <\/em>and the only way to get rid of it is by eradicating that cause. <\/em>If your workplace is breeding toxic staff, as a leader, it\u2019s your job to identify and fix them. Jokingly, she notes that she first heard this from the film  \u201cA Bug\u2019s Life\u201d, quoting: \u201cFirst rule of leadership: everything is your fault.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Can Salon Owners Eradicate Toxic Employee Behaviour?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Drawing on her previous point, Hilton explains some practical steps that salon owners can take to avoid toxicity becoming the norm in their business. These include: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Listening To Staff & Encouraging Honesty<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When staff voice their concerns about something in the salon, whether that\u2019s a shortage of equipment or awkward timing to complete service, as a leader, it\u2019s important to listen. Hilton explains that, whether you <\/em>as a salon owner or manager feel that their requests are important or not, treating it as such forms a baseline level of respect, professionalism, and care. This all adds to creating a positive working environment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Avoiding The \u201cDanger Loop\u201d<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When things go wrong as a salon owner, such as when you\u2019re time-poor, money-poor, or mental health-poor, it can be easy to let smaller things affect you and take it out on your staff. This, in turn, creates a \u201cdanger loop\u201d where one bad thing leads to another and creates a top-level toxicity that trickles down to the rest of the team. Being aware of this loop and separating these larger worries from the everyday running of the salon can promote a calmer, happier workplace for you and your team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking To Staff With Respect<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As a leader, the way you speak to your team reflects the way they will work in your business. According to Sophia, all conversations with<\/em> your employees and about<\/em> your employees should be respectful and kind. Never take your emotions out on your team, and lead by example to create a safe, calm, and respectful space for everyone to work in, where no one worries that they\u2019re being talked about negatively in secret. \u201cWhat I say, is what I think, and what I think reflects on them\u2026 emotional control is helpful\u201d she quotes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Being Aware of Generational Culture Changes In The Workplace<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After helping the crowd fill out some worksheets that aimed to help build awareness of their own toxic traits in the workplace, Hilton explains how one massive cause of conflict in the workplace is that there are now more generations than ever in the workplace. For salons, this means that they could be operating with staff who fall across up to four different generations. This can cause conflict, as each generation has a different perspective on the world and different values. Being aware of this, and making changes to your salon to honour certain parts of each generation\u2019s values and traditions, can be a massive help when it comes to avoiding or eradicating toxic behaviour. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stop Thinking About \u201cThem vs Me\u201d<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Diving deeper to explain the differences between older generations (Boomers, Generation X) and younger generations (Millennials, Generation Z), Hilton continues to explain this melting pot of ages can cause conflict and disconnection in workplaces. For example, in general:
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