Is There A Cast System in Your Organization?

Recent travel to Hawaii brought to mind the cast system of air travel. As the aircraft was loaded, the thought of how much the onboarding system mirrors some organizations and how it affects how the employees may feel, and in what ways it may influence how people behave.

It was the little things during the boarding process that were reminiscent of the class system. The initial instruction was that only Global First and Business class were allowed to access the plane through the Global First line. Ironically this is a pole with a sign Global First on the left hand side and passengers other than first class were required to board on the right hand side of the pole. During the boarding process of another flight, a woman started to enter the plane from the Global First aisle and was told she had to go back and enter to the right of the sign! The witnessing passengers rolled their eyes and groaned. Once boarded on our flight, people walked through first class and business class to the economy seating. As a young man boarded, he commented as he walked by “We have to go back where the poor people sit.” Once on board the flight instructors instructed people to buckle their seat belt, but only those in Global First that had shoulder straps to affix before takeoff. What is the message there?

Understanding that airlines are trying to enhance the benefits of the different classes of services, what is being communicated to the customers? More importantly, are there things in your organization that are inadvertently communicating a cast system in your place of business? When trying to develop a team, everyone on the team should feel an important part of the organization, and much of this is communicated through nonverbal means. Let’s look at the way communication takes place in the work environment.

For example, if open communication is touted as an important part of your business and yet the layout of the organization makes it impossible to communicate openly, then the message is open communication is not really essential. Many “Great Places to Work” have open seating areas in which executives sit side-by-side with their people thus facilitating communication. Zappos executives sit in open cubicles next to the other departments which encourages people to interact. Others truly have an open door policy in which people feel their voice is heard. Do they receive feedback on their suggestions? Are they given recognition for their ideas? Do they receive timely information?

Next, often organizations boast the importance of every member of the team and yet executives have privileges that communicate otherwise. Everything from designated parking spots to dress signify some areas of the organization are more important than others. Organizations may have separate entrances for executives and hourly employees. Others may have separate dining areas for executives and hourly workers. What is being communicated at your organization?

Finally, how much space do various employees have and how does that designate importance? It is not that executives should not have benefits, it’s taking time to determine what’s being communicated by those benefits. In order to make sure you are sending the message you intend, take time to view things from all of your employee’s perspective. Is your communication helping people to feel part of the team?

With a little insight and planning, you can make sure your intended message is the message received. You want your people to feel an important part of your business, but it is through the nonverbal means that your messages are reinforced. Take time to think through what your behaviors are communicating to ensure that you are sending a message of importance to all of your team.