It can be difficult as a manager to work out the correct way to approach employees who come to work with a half glass empty approach.Some employees will have their bad days, but if this is a daily recurrence as a manager you need to start confronting the issue head-on.Examples of negative attitudes in the workplace can be anemployeeconsistently coming late,carelessly performing tasks, laziness, rudeness to other employees or management, spreading or creating rumors, or anything that you considerthreateningtoa positive workplace culture or environment.
Today’sblog post will give you, the manager an informativeguide on how youshould approach and deal with negative workplace attitudes.If negative workplace behaviors are discovered bymanagement,it is vital that they are stopped immediately. If these kinds of attitudesaren’tpunished bymanagement,the toxicenvironmentwill spread withinand other employees may feel as though these kinds of attitudes are accepted.
Whyis Attitude important in theworkplace?
A positive attitude in the workplacemay not necessarily improve the qualityofwork however it will improve the way yourteammatesview you as a person. It isimportantin the workplace to work as a solid team in order to get tasks done. If one person is behaving in a negative light this, in turn, willrub off on everyone else.Having a positive attitude will also help the team cope better in stressful situations.Knowingand trusting in your team that you will all sort the issue outmakes it easier to deal with the pressures that can pile up with any type of work in the office. If you know that everything will be ok, your fight, flight, freeze response will not be activated meaning you will betterapproachthe situation with a more rationalmind frame.
Everyone has their bad days, and every staff member and manager would understand that it is hard to have a positive outlook on life all the time, especially if you are lacking motivation. However, coming into work each morning and trying as best as you canto be positive about your job,will make for a more peacefulday and workenvironment.
The Different Types of Bad Attitudes in the Workplace:
There are various ways that an employee can display bad attitudes in the workplace. As discussed above gossiping, carelessly completing tasks, and laziness are just a few examples of what you may notice from an employee that has a bad attitude. Each person canself-assesswhatbehavior theymay thinkequates to a badattitude,but we are just going to list some examples of what we think a bad attitude looks liketo hopefully give you an idea of what to look out for in your workplace.
- Someone who doesn’t collaborate withothers
- They may not like working in a team and are very selfishwhen completing tasks
- Arrogant about their performance
- Stubborn, will not take ideas or advice from anyone
- Laziness
- Never on time
- Erraticor aggressive towards other people
- Gossiping
- Taking credit for otherpeople’swork
- Misusingprivileges
- Constantly on their phone or laptop for personal use when in a meeting or working
If you are noticing any of the above behaviors in your workplace, it is important that you confront the behavior.Below we will be listing our best tips on how you can deal with these kinds of behaviors if you do notice them in the workplace.
You can find more information on finding the cancer in your businesshere.
TipsOnDealingWithEmployee Negative Attitudes:
- Call out the poor attitude orbehaviour
Pull the employee aside and have a conversation with them about what is expected of them in this workplace. It is important no matter if you are an employee, colleague,or manager that you never ignore this behavior.Call it out and let them know the impact that this behavior is having on the rest of the workplace.
- Avoid getting into an argument
When confronting the employee about the way they are behaving orperformingits alwaysimportantthat you do this in a highly professional manner.Some people will thrive off an argument, so ensure you are finding a happy medium and keeping your cool.Consult your human resources team to help you with thisprocess orbe with you inthis meeting. If the negativeattitude or behaviorcontinues and they are breaching workplace rules andregulations, you may consider moving to formaldisciplinaryaction.
- Set standards in the workplace
These standardsshould beregularlyspoken about and enforced in the workplace.These should come directly from yourworkplacevalues.Company policies and standards are a great way of monitoringand keeping in checkanemployee’sbehaviorand ensuring employeesunderstand the expectedstandards. Itis important as a manager thatyou abide by these standards yourself and show your employees the kinds of positive attitudes that the employees should adopt.Be a leader!
- Ensure you allow for open communication in the workplace
If your employees are comfortable with talking to you about all their questions and concerns on a regular basis not just on formal annual reviews, it will helpopen all communication channels. This means your employees will feel comfortable enough to inform you ifanother person’sbehavior is making them uncomfortable. It can be difficult for a manager to see the negative attitudes ofemployees as most of the time they will behave differentlyin frontof you.Therefore,good relationships with your employees are vital, this is so they know they can come to you about anything.
- Distance yourself from those withnegativeattitudes
If you are an employee and a co-worker isparticipatingin negativebehavior or has a negative attitude, distance yourself from them. Do not show them any attention for their behavior.These kinds of behaviors may lead to bullying in the workplace, which will never be tolerated. If you feel as though you are being bullied consult your manager straight away.
Being around negative people can have a rub-off effect, rise above them remain your own positive self!
- Check in Regularly
Make sure you keep checking in on your employees, these negative attitudes could be a result of home or mental health issues that are affecting their work life. If you start to see anunusualchange in youremployee’sbehaviorit’simportant that you notice and do as best as you can to provide someassistance, make them know they are not alone.If these behavior changes are noticed earlier, it could prevent further issues in the future.
- Hire positive people
When hiring teammembersit is important that you hire people who share your workplace and personal values. This is one of the most important aspects of getting the right organisational fit.You should strive for a diverseworkplace,but you should hire for shared common values.
- Ask questions
Try to ask the employee whatthe root of the problem is. Is there a certain reason they are behaving like this, what is making them so negative at theworkplace?Ensure they are specific about what is causing this behavior, this will help you as a manager try to find a resolution that works for both of you.
- Don’t be part of the problem
It can be difficult as a manager not to let youremployee’snegative attitudes start toaffect you.Make sure that you do not become engaged in similar behaviors.That will just result in the rest of your teamlosingtrust in you as a manager.As mentioned earlier,call it out and ensureyou remainlevel-headedand do your hardest to find a resolution to the problem, that is fair to all parties involved.
- Know when to say goodbye
Sometimes the personis just not the right organisational fit. It is important to identify when it is time to redeployan employee, and that maybe into another team orassisttoredeploy them into another more suited organisation.Ifthis is the case take the correct measures in fairly terminating the employee from your business.Consult your human resource manager about the best way to go about the situation to ensure fairness.
Relationship Between Positive Employee AttitudesAndCulture
When each employee has a positive attitude in the workplace there is a general feeling that anything can be accomplished. It is a less stressful environment, and everyone comes together as one to bounce ideas offeach otherand work together as a team.Positivity is contagious! If your team has a positive outlook in the workplace, It will make for an improvedworkplace environment and culture. This can lead to the achievement of many business goals as employees will work together as a team, they will have a higher level of job satisfactionresulting in increased productivity and performance.
It is your job as a manager to watch and monitor youremployee’sbehavior. It is importantyou arefacilitatinga positiveworkenvironmentto encourage positive attitudes for your employees when they come to work. You may not be “as happy asLarry”everyday buttry hard to be aspositiveasyouwant your employees to be. It all starts with you and theenvironmentyour team creates. We willreiteratethe importance of getting rid of any negative behavior or attitudes as quick as you can, do not let it ruin yourself-madepositivitybubble surrounding your amazing workplace environment.
