The dictionary definition of a stranger is “a person one does not know or with whom one is not familiar,” also phrased as a person who does not know or is not known in a particular place or community. Further, the dictionary says it is a person entirely unaccustomed to a feeling, experience, or situation. The words used as similar to strange are unfamiliar with, unused to, unacquainted with, new to, fresh to, unexperienced in, unpracticed in, unversed in, and unconversant in, to name a few.
Recently, we have met with several companies that have hired and are now onboarding several new employees into their construction businesses from various introductory sources, where only time will tell if they turn out how each represented themselves in the interview. How thorough the interview process was before the offer and acceptance, along with how committed the original associates are to their success, will also play into the relationship longevity at the company. I often use the analogy that it is like adopting a new member into the family.
Mitigating Risk When Hiring New Employees in Construction
The article “Tips When Adopting a New Employee” from a few years back speaks to the process one must go through to eliminate risk in the adoption process and the similarities to adopting a new hire into your place of business. The article explains:
After all, whether a family of two or more is welcoming a child, the parents are making that commitment both legally and financially, whether the extended family has been involved in the premeetings and discussions or not. This is similar when onboarding a new employee. Despite who is involved in the process, hiring managers ultimately decide who to hire, and ownership is responsible for the legal and financial obligations associated with the choice. In both cases, you can plan for the worst and hope for the best.
The article goes on to give four tips to help you through the workplace adoption process. The article also speaks to how, in an adoption (especially an older adoption), an agency goes through an extensive “get to know you” process as the implications—emotional, legal, and financial—of an unsuitable match can be overwhelming.
What Is Stranger Danger in the Workplace?
In the workplace, when an individual is unacquainted with, new to, inexperienced in, unpracticed in, or unconversant with your market segment or construction industry specialty, your risk is much higher. Add behavioral issues not uncovered in the hiring process, and your business takes on an even greater risk emotionally, financially, and sometimes legally.
Unconversant synonyms are unfamiliar, unversed, unaccustomed, unacquainted, inexperienced, unseasoned, unskilled, inexpert, unpracticed, untrained, unschooled, uninitiated, untried, unfledged, green, callow, fresh, unsophisticated, and naïve.
Warning Signs of a New Hire Might Need Attention
Behavioral stranger danger warnings are non-confrontational, antagonistic, indifferent, argumentative, and passive-aggressive, to name a few.
These individuals pose stranger danger to your organization and require safeguarding. I refer to it as “trust but verify” because “you don’t know what they really know,” and you hope that “they know what they don’t know,” but you can’t tell for sure yet. Behaviors the individual chooses not to correct can create rogue situations.
The Trip around the Sun
The antonyms or opposites of the word unconversant and its synonyms are experienced, skilled, practiced, seasoned, trained, schooled, versed, accustomed, conversant, sophisticated, mature, and wise. Yet, no matter how much industry and constructability knowledge someone has, their behavior is what will eventually take them down or elevate them to the next level within any organization.
Longevity in the workplace equates to an attitude and aptitude for learning what you don’t know, communicating to understand others, and focusing on delivering the mission before you while upholding the company’s core values and sharing in its vision.
At my company, I often refer to the “trip around the sun.” When an employee has the attitude and aptitude to learn our business, what sets us apart from our competition, and how staying consistently consistent with their deliverables and behaviors contributes to their success, then at their one-year anniversary, they are capable of teaching others what might be important to be aware of. They have experienced enough projects and people we associate with at different times to recognize what is important and what is not.
When Stranger Danger Can Be Overlooked
In the workplace, the most ominous employees are those who are not authentic with everyone in the workplace. Yes-men or women or passive-aggressive individuals can be the most difficult to spot because they appear nice, kind, and cooperative. The truth is their fear of conflict leads to a lack of commitment, avoidance of accountability, and inattention to results.
Healthy debates and reminders challenge executives and teams to better results. In construction, often these demure individuals use others above or beneath them to be their spokespeople, thus making them feel safer if their opinions don’t come directly from them. They are most often exposed when the person fronting them is pressed for the backup data and has to confess to being a messenger for someone else and not having it, thus creating relationship loss with all involved parties.
Vulnerable trust is built with direct authenticity—person to person.
How and Why You Should Alert Stakeholders When Potential Stranger Danger Is in the Workplace
Despite most workplaces, including construction management businesses, following a team approach, your role in the company is most typically reviewed for your individual contribution. Your individual ownership is based on not only completing your assigned tasks but also taking the responsibility of being an advocate for the company and safeguarding its interests. Not speaking out when a decision was made or an action was taken by someone new or seasoned in your work family that exposes risk to your company will ultimately, at some point, hurt your career.
When my daughters were young and wanted to keep secrets for one another, my suggestion on whether they should speak up was based on the potential for someone or something to get hurt if they did not, including themselves. I advised them to be bold and inquire if they were uncertain—safe is always better than sorry.
Strategies for Addressing Unprofessional Behavior in Construction
Here are a few examples of how to approach potential stranger danger in the workplace so it doesn’t come back to hurt you, the company, or any of your associates, including the perpetrator who might think their actions are apropos. Ask questions:
- Were you aware that (Name) was not trained on __________?
- I do not believe that (Name) is aware of our policy on ________. How would you like to get (him/her) up to speed on it?
- (Name) sent me to ask you about ________. Would you be available to address this with us?
A website that trains children to be alert for stranger danger says:
“When out and about, you need to always take care and be aware of strangers. With the help of your friends, you can together be stranger-danger safe.”
In the workplace, I would reword it: “When about your workday, take care and be aware of those who might consciously or unconsciously be a risk to your workplace or work family.”
Alerting to stranger danger might be a smart move for everyone.
To Alert without Alert,
Suzanne Breistol
