Employee Mindset → How to Overcome Workplace Negativity
Takeaway: Are you noticing negativity in the workplace? If so, it's time to address it now before it gets worse. In this post I will talk about this signs, symptoms and tips on how to address workplace negativity.
Table of Contents
How Does Negativity Effect the Workplace
A negative workplace isn't good for anyone at any level. It affects productivity, communication and overall well-being. It can push employees to move on much sooner than you'd want them to, ultimately leading to employee turnover that can significantly effect an organization financially and structurally.
Understand that if employees, management or leaders are constantly complaining or being negative, it can sap the energy and morale of everyone they come into contact with. With numerous different personalities, navigating negativity in the workplace can get complex and challenging to manage.
What causes negativity in the workplace?
A Negative Workplace Environment
Is your workplace environment a positive, uplifting place to be, where an employee contributes ideas, supports others on the team and has fun working on the the collective goal of the company? Or is your company's culture inhibiting growth, lacking proper training and the general energy of employees is lackluster?
The feel and mood of the work environment can make a business with a good product or service, less effective or profitable as poor attitudes and negativity in the workplace often results in loss of trust and can diminish the reputation of an organization. If rumblings or slander appear throughout or about an organization, it can have a ripple effect causing further disruptions to its culture and/or operations.
Workplace negativity can be contagious in small or large organizations as the work environment is often a place where a person spends a great deal of their waking day. Constant disagreements, bad attitudes, lack of respect and laziness are examples of issues that will effect job performance, staff focus, productivity and healthy growth in an organization.
Know the Employee Mindset
Employees feel supported, valued and motivated when they know that they are working in safe workplace. A healthy, positive and supportive workplace environment will allow an employee to perform their job with a can-do attitude and limit adding negativity into in the job. It can contribute to a workplace that is fun which can expand creativity and innovative thinking.
However, workers with a negative frame-of-mind, can have a habit of blaming, justifying, complaining and bringing other employees down if they operate internally from a negative way of thinking. Even if the employee is considered a top performer, their attitude can greatly affect team productivity and morale.
A negative thinking employee can also promote ill-feelings among staff which can create an un-healthy space for others to thrive or reach a higher potential. Workplace negativity deeply effects attitude and can actually create a hostile workplace environment for others.
Knowing how an employee thinks is important to provide beneficial feedback. Does the employees communicate with a positive problem-solving approach? Or does the employee identify only obstacles and limitations and adhere to personal viewpoints that promote hostility and divisiveness at work?
Attitude is crucial and it is important in directly addressing the employees attitude when trying to change negativity in the workplace.
How does negativity affect business?
Disagreeable behavior and having a bad attitude in a contained office or work environment can spread like wild fire.
And like a growing flame that is left neglected, the problem can quickly grow out-of-control.
If this problem is neglected it will have numerous adverse consequences on the team and organization, and can effect the bottom line. According to estimates from the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, negativity in the workplace costs businesses $3 billion a year due to its harmful effects. This adverse effects include cost of employees leaving jobs prompting turnover, an increase in the number of sick-days taken from work and an increase in healthcare cost.
As a leader, staff member or decision maker, it's important to be aware, recognize employees concerns and take action promptly because resolving conflicts and addressing gossip in the work environment swiftly will send a message of that upholding a healthy work environment is important, it will help encourage the importance of direct communication, control the spread of unnecessary toxicity and help overcome negativity.
How to deal with negative employees?
Policies and procedures
Because of the detrimental consequences that can happen with workplace negativity, it is important to make sure employees are aware of your company's policies on code of conduct. The Ethics and Compliance initiative reports on the importance of an organization's ethics code and having its relationship with standards of professional conduct in its mission statement. If you do not have clear code of conduct for employees it can put the company at risk.
When recruiting for a candidate or hiring a new employee, choose a person who value's positivity and let go of those who continually cause issues. A company should seek a suitable candidate that matches or holds similar values. Aaron Skonnard, a Pluralsight CEO, reports that they seek candidates whose experience is positive yet they are confident that they can solve a variety of problems.
Because negativity in the workplace can greatly effect the bottom line of an organization, it's beneficial for an organization to create clear consequences for employees who continuously affects the mood in the office. Examples in this direction are limiting lead roles, reducing pay and future advancement.
By choosing candidates with measurable benefits you can take control and avoid workplace negativity and potential issues with employees before they happen.
Employee attitudes can influence the culture, morale and values of an organization, for better or for worse.
Five Tips to Overcome Workplace Negativity
Get feedback on things that can be improved
Companies can make effective and productive changes by periodically inviting employees and teams for suggestions on improvements. It may be via a written survey, live surveys or direct one-on-one suggestions. In addition, it can be beneficial for management to gather feedback monthly, quarterly or even annually to stay abreast of the organization culture and identify any issue that may be developing in the office, early on.
2. Confront employees privately if you notice negativity affecting other employees
When you see employees who directly impact the workplace and other workers negatively, it is imperative to meet with them promptly and privately for a direct conversation. There may be something going on personally with them that is affecting their behavior at work that can be addressed privately which can allow more meaningful communication to develop.
3. Give Employees Recognition
There are benefits to identify and give employee recognition. When management is able to acknowledge positive behavior and effort made with immediate feedback, it can encourage more positivity and productivity. It is highly beneficial to pay attention to employees who work above and beyond in their job and not just focus on employees who need more guidance.
Recognition is crucial in ensuring positive workplace conditions. Management and HR Consultant, Susan Heathfield, explains that employee recognition is one of the most valuable forms of feedback.
The employer should acknowledge positive attitudes of employees and more specifically, their ability to cope with stress effectively and emotionally.
In addition, tokens of appreciation to address effort doesn't need to cost much, but it can communicate long-lasting gratitude, trust and provide major returns through positive morale and increased productivity.
4. Lead with Positive Intent
As a leader, this means that no matter what another person says or does, rather than immediately judging them, taking the position of assuming positive intent.
This means assuming first and foremost that the person meant well or was doing their best and having a well-intended conversation. By taking a proactive approach, you can inject more positivity and express an empathetic and collaborative approach with your employee that enriches a culture of support and well-being at work.
5. Encourage Personal Growth Through coaching and Trainings
One way for businesses to keep positivity in the workplace and to express commitment to an employee is by providing the employee opportunity for personal growth and professional development through training or coaching. Udemy found that 42 percent of employees said that learning and development were the most important benefits when deciding where to work.
Lastly, be patient! An employee's attitude or the team's attitude won't necessarily change overnight. Lasting changes take time. Repetition and consistency in providing positive feedback and reinforcement is key.
