Written by Deo Mwano

Being Productive in Addressing Negative Behaviors That Impact Workforce Productivity and Efficiency

Recently, an audio recording was leaked from Jamie Dimon’s(CEO of JP Morgan) town hall meeting with his leadership team, where he expressed frustration over cultural and behavioral trends within his workforce that he believes are negatively impacting productivity and efficiency.

Some of his key concerns included:

Remote workers who are not fully engaged during meetings and are distracted by their phones.
The overuse of meetings, committees, and group discussions, which are delaying decisions and slowing down action.
Inconsistencies in work preferences that do not contribute to productivity.
Employees isolating themselves within their own comfort zones, engaging only with familiar communities rather than broadening their perspectives.
Generational differences in work behaviors, particularly those of Gen Z and younger millennials.

Below is the audio link to the town hall recording.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/6glAn-Gj9LM

Addressing Workforce Challenges Proactively

Hearing Dimon’s frustration at such a high level was revealing. At DMC, we work with our partners to help them establish clear employee expectations that define workforce culture, operations, job duties, and performance standards. This includes outlining how employees should show up for work, what is expected of them, and the consequences of failing to meet those expectations.

We collaborate closely with senior leadership teams to ensure consistency in how expectations are communicated, governed, and demonstrated. A key aspect of this work involves working with different departments to understand their unique cultures and expectations.

Using Real-World Scenarios for Training

One of the most effective methods we implement is role-play training videos that depict real workplace scenarios—both positive and negative behaviors. These videos provide a visual representation of what is expected in the workplace, often incorporating light humor to make the message more engaging.

During these training sessions, employees are encouraged to ask questions about expectations and policies, fostering an interactive learning experience. These discussions also allow managers and directors to address misinterpretations of policies and behaviors, ensuring that everyone has a shared understanding of workplace expectations.

However, setting expectations alone is not enough. It’s essential for organizations to evaluate how employees engage with these policies over time. Leaders must assess whether policies are understood, effectively implemented, and aligned with the company’s broader goals.

Examples of Role-Play Videos DMC Creates for Our Partners:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVR_RkoOSLA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJ_4qi6S14E&t=23s

Where Is Leadership in Addressing Workplace Behaviors?

As I listened to Jamie Dimon express his frustration, I couldn’t help but wonder:
Where are the COO, HR leaders, and learning & development teams?

If certain behaviors are negatively impacting business operations, there needs to be a proactive approach to address them. This does not mean simply condemning employees but rather:

Setting clear expectations and ensuring they are well understood.
Demonstrating expected behaviors rather than just discussing them.
Implementing accountability measures for those who violate policies.

Measuring the Impact of Workplace Behaviors

To effectively address workplace challenges, organizations must quantify the impact of negative behaviors:

How many employees are engaging in behaviors that violate expectations?
What percentage of the workforce is contributing to inefficiencies?
Are current policies and benefits inadvertently encouraging unproductive habits?

In some cases, companies resort to removing perks and benefits to curb certain behaviors. However, without properly diagnosing the root cause, such actions may penalize the entire workforce for the actions of a few. Instead, organizations should conduct in-depth investigations to understand what’s driving these behaviors before implementing broad changes.

For instance, remote work comes with both advantages and disadvantages. Instead of eliminating it outright, companies should analyze how different factors contribute to productivity and efficiency and design solutions accordingly. Before implementing drastic changes, running a pilot program to measure the impact of potential solutions can help organizations make data-driven decisions.

Understanding Generational Differences in the Workforce

Demographic preferences play a crucial role in workplace behaviors.

Expectations for Gen Z and millennials may differ significantly from Gen X and baby boomers due to their unique experiences and work habits.
Some generational behaviors stem not from company policies but from broader societal and technological influences.
Organizations need to recognize that trying to force a single approach across all generations may not be practical or effective.

Instead of stigmatizing one generation over another, companies should focus on engagement strategies that respect generational differences while establishing non-negotiable workplace expectations that apply to all employees.

Building a Strong Workforce Culture Through Clear Expectations

Leadership teams must be intentional in understanding what drives their employees and how they work best. The key to maintaining operational efficiency without compromising on workplace culture is finding common ground that aligns business objectives with workforce preferences.

Organizations should invest in demonstrating expectations rather than just talking about them. This means:

Actively engaging with employees.
Clearly articulating what is expected.
Using practical demonstrations and training to reinforce workplace behaviors.

The DMC Workforce Success Team has more than 20 years combined experience and provides sustainable solutions to the complex social issues that affect large, medium or small businesses. Building authentic relationships is at the heart of DMC’s work, developing trust and honesty with employees to get to the root of issues and include them in the design of solutions.