The Fly Behind The Wall

The impact of toxic employees in the Correctional environment

There are many ways that toxic employees adversely impact the correctional environment. It is the responsibility of leadership to ensure that those negative employee behaviors do not go unchecked. Here are a few positive qualities we see in non-toxic staff: 1) they value and align with the mission; 2) they portray excitement for their position; 3) they enjoy learning and show excitement towards growth; 4) they respectfully communicate; 5) they have long-term potential; and 6) they are trustworthy and responsible.

Things Correctional Staffers Need to Know

Working in Corrections is no walk in the park. We come to the table with our technical skills and are tasked with learning a whole other set of skills in order to successfully navigate the occupational hazards inherent in the environment. It is critical to our professional and personal success that we are intentional about being learning the ins and outs.

Role Ambiguity: How do we stop it and minimize the confusion it can cause?

As non-uniformed employees we exist in this weird intersection where we have to be on the top of our game in our particular field of expertise and we also have to be highly engaged in everything safety and security. We have to be vigilant at all times and when we are not the environment can be quite unforgiving. While as an employee you have to do your best to learn the ins and outs of your environment as an institution we also have the responsibility of making sure our employees are adequately prepared to engage in this environment. There are times when we have not safe guarded our staff. We can do better providing direction, motivating and shaping the path forward.

Are we ready? Risk management is Key!

We are in the business of managing risk. Safety and security is our top priority. In some instances policies and procedures cripple the ability of individuals to identify the risks they face, to properly evaluate, communicate and address them. We cannot continue to be an institution that reacts. We have to constantly evaluate the risks that walk through these institutional doors and prepare teams to address them.

Information is POWER!

There is an age old debate about how much information is too much information to provide to the civilian workforce. There are some administrative directives that prohibit information being shared. However, there is information that can be shared that isn’t always shared. Is it possible for us to break down the barrier that divides us? I believe that it is and it all begins with establishing trusting working relationships with each other.