If your employees are high functioning, does it matter if they’re functioning high?

With recreational marijuana now legal in half of all U.S. states, that’s a real question for many business owners. Fewer companies are drug-testing employees than in the past — otherwise, there might not be too many left to test. (A lab director told the Wall Street Journal that more than a third of weed screens are positive; it was one-fifth just a couple years ago.)

But taking edibles at night to watch Black Mirror is different than vaping at your desk, just as an after-work beer is different than doing a kegstand in the breakroom. Some HR departments are now on the lookout for sluggish, distracted workers — but that could be due to sleep issues or health problems.

Importantly, federal regulations bar marijuana use by transportation workers and others for safety reasons. Whatever your stance on legalization, we can all agree that pilots should only be high at work in a literal sense.

Flat as a (corporate) board: Inside the rise of flat organizations.

Anger management suite: How to calm collicky colleagues.

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Are you tired of the same old hierarchical structure at work? Do you dream of a workplace where everyone has a voice and decisions are made quickly and efficiently? Are managers and red tape getting in the way? Well, have no fear because flat organizations are here.

Instead of a corporate ladder, many companies are turning their organizational hierarchy into something more of a … corporate step stool. Even major tech companies like Meta and Alphabet are hopping on the flat org bandwagon — as they tout massive workforce reductions, their layoff lasers are pointed right at middle management.

What is a flat organization?

In a flat organization, there are very few job levels between executives and frontline workers. Everyone works together in a collaborative and transparent environment, and is encouraged to contribute their ideas and perspectives. With this structure, you don't have to wait for approval from your boss's boss's boss to make a change within your organization.

Some benefits of a flat organization include:

• Increased agility and decision-making
• Increased creativity and innovation
• Improved communication and collaboration

Reducing the number of job levels in your business can also lower overhead costs. Since employee compensation can cost 40%-80% of your gross revenue, this is a huge benefit (and a major reason why many companies are flattening their org charts right now).

🤿 DIVE DEEPER:

• How to Improve Relations Between Your Managers and Employees
• 6 Steps to Improve Your Organization's Performance
• Don't Want to Cut Employees? Try Cutting Salaries

What are the risks of flat organizations?

Before you start squeezing out all your middlemen, it's important to note that flat organizations aren't a magic cure for all workplace woes. If implemented incorrectly, they can have negative consequences, such as:

• Role and responsibility confusion
• Reduced accountability
• Reduced employee career growth (which can increase employee turnover)
• Increased leader burnout (which can also increase employee turnover)

Flat organizational structures require a lot of effort and commitment from everyone involved; they work best in companies with a strong sense of purpose and a culture of trust and transparency. If this sounds like your business, it may be worth exploring.

However, if you're the middle manager that's at risk of being flattened in the process … uh … well, this is awkward …

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Dr. Steven Rogelberg is a Chancellor’s Professor at UNC Charlotte and former president of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology.   

Dealing with an angry colleague or direct report can be tricky. Here’s a host of strategies — identified in research to employ in such situations — and those to avoid.

First, let’s start with what not to do in the face of an angry party.

1. Share your viewpoint promptly.

2. Immediately inform the person when you hold a different opinion.

3. Without delay, convey your thoughts on why you believe they are incorrect.

4. Express your disapproval of their angry reaction.

5. React instantly by showing your immediate emotions.

By avoiding these actions, you prevent escalation and feeding the anger fire. These strategies are too reactive and can create defensiveness.

Instead, here's what you should do.

1. Request an explanation from the other party regarding the reason for their anger.

2. Listen attentively to the other party’s perspective.

3. Motivate the other party to articulate their emotions.

4. Ask probing questions to delve deeper into the matter.

5. Demonstrate empathy toward the other party’s viewpoint on the situation.

6. Assume responsibility where relevant and offer an apology for your role in the situation.

These six strategies are designed to help you learn and better understand the situation before any type of reaction or counsel. They capture the importance of acquiring what is underlying the anger in a way that makes the other party feel heard and understood. This action in and of itself can serve to diffuse the anger. Furthermore, the knowledge gleaned helps you identify what your response and approach should be to the anger. 

If you feel ready and the other party seems to have cooled down, you can decide to engage on the spot. Or, it could be best to take a pause and return to the situation after a bit of time has passed: “Thank you for sharing what is on your mind. Let’s take a pause. Let me reflect more on your comments, and I will circle back in no time.”

I do want to note that if the other party was highly inappropriate when expressing their anger, that can be discussed at a later date as well. However, if anything violates your company's code of conduct, you may want to take action sooner rather than later.

• 1868: Although it took a few more years for the first commercial typewriter to release, Christopher Latham Sholes received a patent for what is considered the first practical typewriter. 
• 1912: Alan Turing, the father of AI who saved millions by decoding German messages during WWII, was born. 
• 1930: Nelson Rockefeller, grandson of business magnate John D. Rockefeller and former vice president under Gerald Ford, married Mary Todhunter Clark. 
• 1960: The first-ever contraceptive pill was marketed and made available for purchase in the U.S.
• 2017: The Wilshire Grand Center opened, Los Angeles' tallest building (also the tallest building west of the Mississippi). 

This woman-owned canned cocktail company makes a spritz with all real ingredients; namely, rye whiskey, fresh lemon juice, and — their secret weapon — wildflower honey. Carbonated and light, yet with complex flavors of bright citrus, baking spices, and floral notes, it’s great for summer spritzing on the go. Grab some directly from Siponey.

Written by Dan Ketchum and Aaron Goldfarb. Comic by John McNamee.

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