How to Take Care of Employee Attitudes in the Workplace

Post Views: 351

(Last Updated On: )

Employee attitudes are very important in the workplace. The center of that chain is employee attitude — when employees are joyful and engaged, attitudes and productiveness are more prone to be positive.

Employee attitudes in the workplace

Your attitude at work can impression your profession in addition to your basic outlook on life.

When one thing goes unsuitable, the first factor people normally say is to “stay strong” and “stay positive.” Those little affirmations generally do work, and it is vital to do not to forget that phrases can go a long manner throughout a time of negativity, particularly within the office.

Always trying on the brilliant facet “may sound cheesy, but just positive thinking, smiling and positivity, in general, are the main staples of a positive personal attitude,” mentioned Amy Finlay, co-founder of Edinburgh IFA. But what does a positive attitude must do with the office?

Having a positive attitude within the office will not essentially make you higher at your job, however, it’s going to enhance the best way people view you as an individual, so they could be more inclined that can assist you to succeed and cheer you on.

“[A positive attitude] is important for many reasons, but one of the main reasons for having a positive attitude in the workplace is because it can rub off on everyone else,” Finlay mentioned. “Exuding positivity can be infectious and, over time, can influence your co-workers.”

You simply need the instruments to cope with damaging attitudes and foster good ones. By successfully managing the office and employees, you may positively form attitudes and even enhance your company’s efficiency.

The significance of a positive attitude within the office

It looks like the significance of a positive attitude can be apparent, but it surely’s really easy to change into consumed with our personal ideas and dramas.

On these occasions, whether or not you are going through a tough time or considered one of your co-workers is, you need to attempt to hold the negativity at bay.

“Misery may love company, but negativity has never lifted anyone up,” mentioned Deborah Sweeney, CEO of MyCorporation.

“You feel better when you surround yourself with positive people. They encourage you to reach for the stars, work hard and stay focused on fulfilling your dreams. Positivity begets more positivity.

Over time, you may find that even the most stubborn person in the office who refuses to enjoy something has a change of heart and changes to be more positive, all because you had such a great attitude.”

What can have an effect on employee attitude?

Wouldn’t it be good in case your employees had been all joyful people, smiling via every workday? Sadly that may be, as a result of people’s attitudes are dampened and lifted by every kind of thing exterior their very own control. It’s HR’s function to handle these components within the office, to forestall damaging attitudes from arising.

Employee engagement

Engagement is a time period protecting employee satisfaction, dedication, and motivation. Research reveals solely around 39% of UK employees really feel ‘positively engaged’ (CIPD 2010). Ways to positively interact with employees to incorporate:

Providing sturdy leadership
Line managers who inspire and empower
Listening to the employee voice all through the organization
Having organizational integrity, i.e. the company residing as much as its acknowledged values (Department for Business, Innovation and Skills 2009)

The psychological contract

The psychological contract isn’t an authorized doc, however a conceptualization of the connection between employer and employee — and what you anticipate of one another.

The psychological contract is ‘broken’ when employees really feel their employer has acted unfairly or breaks guarantees. This can negatively impression engagement and job satisfaction, resulting in damaging office attitudes.

Personal points and issues exterior the office

Negative employee attitudes may also come up for exterior causes. For instance, personal or family issues may cause an employee to carry negativity into work. HR can’t clear up these issues, however, you may nonetheless assist the employee and handle attitudes.

How to positively form employee attitudes

Prevention is the most effective remedy, as they are saying. Rather than look forward to negativity coming up, you need to use strategies to positively form employee attitudes in your office.

Make positive employees have a voice

When management listens to employee considerations and acts upon them, negativity is much less prone to fester. Give employees alternatives to voice considerations, each formally and informally, and take them severely.

It’ll assist generally to maintain a report of your employee’s considerations, our human sources software lets you hold notes on employees.

Make the office a positive place

Some people are naturally vulnerable to pessimism and complaining, however, you can’t permit their attitude to carry others down. You can counteract negativity by:

Praising employees for his or her successes

Focusing on options as an alternative of issues, by getting employees to consider options to their complaints

Negative versus positive attitudes

Understanding what makes for a damaging attitude at work may also help you’re employed towards selling and working towards a positive attitude.

“Negative and positive attitudes affect the workplace massively,” Finlay mentioned. “An employee with a bad attitude can really upset the apple cart in an office and create a really toxic environment. Positive attitudes can make the work environment happy and a joy to be in. I would happily take an office full of positive attitudes over negative ones, without a doubt.”

Sweeney additionally is aware of how vital attitudes are to the success of an office. “They either move the needle forward or keep it still. A positive attitude keeps everyone trying new things, feeling brave about brainstorming new ideas, and makes people feel excited to go to work with their co-workers.”

Showing a positive attitude within the office is as straightforward as saying sure

Preaching positivity is straightforward. Putting it into apply and being real about it’s tougher.

“You can show a positive attitude through the words you use,” Sweeney mentioned. “Become a ‘yes’ person and try new things to see how you do. Give your time and ask co-workers how you can help them out if you have a free moment. Volunteer to take the lead on new assignments. Be kind to everyone and genuine – do not gossip constantly or spread rumors.”

Rachel Sheerin, the keynote speaker on burnout and happiness, says that positive people radiate totally different energy.

“Positive people show their positive attitude in their words, actions and feelings,” she mentioned. “Positive people radiate differently, just by walking in a room with their energy – it changes the world and people around them.”

The basic consensus amongst specialists is that displaying a positive attitude is all about your demeanor. Speaker and personal improvement coach Jessi Beyer mentioned that displaying a smile moderately than trying depressing can alter the temper of a complete office.

She additionally mentioned that the best way you react to conditions and relate to co-workers could make an enormous distinction.

“Not only does having a positive attitude in the workplace make your day much more fun and more productive, but it affects your co-workers as well,” Beyer mentioned.

“Would you prefer to be surrounded by co-workers with negative attitudes who all hate their lives and their jobs, or would you prefer to be surrounded by co-workers who are focusing on their wins, no matter how small, and learning from their failures?”

How to take care of damaging attitudes and emotions

Not everybody goes to be positive on a regular basis. That’s an unrealistic thought. But even when people are down and at their most damaging, there are issues one can do to take care of these feelings and actions across the office to maintain them from impacting others.

Even if it is only one co-worker inflicting a problem, take issues into your individual palms on your personal happiness at work.

Choose who you affiliate with rigorously. “If you find yourself surrounded by negative co-workers, see if you can switch cubicles or teams within the same department,” Beyer mentioned. “Make conscious decisions with your space and your time at work that will result in surrounding yourself with co-workers with positive attitudes.”

In that vein, “I am someone who will deliberately avoid spending time with people who have a bad attitude at work, or anywhere for that matter,” Finlay mentioned.

“As a positive attitude can be contagious, unfortunately, a negative attitude can also spread through people, and before you know it, your mindset can completely change with too much exposure to these types of people.”

Be encouraging. “I encourage my clients and their teams to remember that everyone is trying their best,” Sheerin mentioned. “No one wakes up in the morning wanting to screw up or do a bad job – so give some consideration and empathy to others.”

Ask questions and do not assume. “No matter the positive or negative attitudes at work, it’s important to be mindful in the workplace,” mentioned Lizzie Benton, the culture marketing consultant at Liberty Mind.

“Rather than letting yourself be consumed by a negative attitude, question why that person might be coming across in that way. Don’t take it personally, and do your best to build a barrier against negative comments or behaviors.”

Negativity bias constructed into us as people

Psychologists usually agree that our brains are hardwired to place more of our focus and energy on dangerous information. Maybe it is as a result of we’re surrounded by it, now more than ever within the age of prompt information and videos of tragedies being uploaded seconds after they occur. But does that imply the human race is doomed to stay in a cloud of damaging energy? Most specialists say no.

“The thought that you need 10 positive experiences to write over one negative one can definitely be true,” Beyer mentioned. “One way to combat this is to approach the outcomes of negative situations with a learning mentality. Find one small takeaway from a situation and your perception of that situation as negative will start to shrink.”

Many people consider you’ll be able to prepare your mind to fight the negativity bias.

“I think there is probably something to it, and like anything else with the human brain, we can train ourselves to ignore it,” Finlay mentioned. “I believe that everything we do that becomes a habit can be changed if we continue to work on it hard enough.

If you are constantly reverting to negativity, it will take an applied and concentrated approach to break this habit, but stick with it and eventually, you’ll see that the grass is actually greener on the bright side of life.”

Sheerin agreed that you would be able to prepare your perspective and mind with positivity. “The wolf you feed always gets stronger.”

How to handle a damaging employee attitude

No matter how great your office is, you’re going to face damaging employee attitudes sooner or later. And since damaging feelings are contagious, you’ll need to cope with them shortly and successfully.

Start by figuring out the damaging employee, their actions, and the impression they’re having on the office.

Talk to the employee. Show them the impression of their attitude, and make it clear negativity won’t be tolerated.

Support the employee to vary their attitude. Give them a possibility to elucidate their issues, encourage them to discover a resolution, and supply assistance if wanted.

Maintaining a positive attitude takes work; it will not all the time be straightforward.

“A good example of keeping a positive attitude is to stop complaining,” Sweeney mentioned. “This can be hard to do, I know! If the company you work for experiences changes, like new management, don’t complain endlessly about what is happening and how it may impact you negatively. See change as a good thing that leads to growth and success for the business and you personally.”