By the end of this blog, you will know the reasons that lead to workplace negativity and what you need to do to minimize it. You need to bring in the change to reap positive outcomes.
What is workplace negativity?
Workplace negativity is an attitude that the employees have towards their work and the people associated with it.
When an employee joins your organization he experiences both positive and negative emotions. Higher negative emotions lead to stronger negativity, a study found. Such employees are always expecting the worst, whining or fighting, and feel demotivated. However, overcoming workplace negativity is not rocket science. You only need to keep a check on any pessimistic behaviour.
How to handle workplace negativity?
Workplace negativity exists when your employees feel dissatisfied.
Here are 10 tips that you can use to minimize workplace negativity.
- Fill the communication gap
Did you know? A US-based study found, 482 employees experienced positive emotions when communicating well. Smooth communication is the key to all problems. If you do not convey to your employees directly, you might end up playing Chinese whispers. Employees would be unclear about their work that would result in dissatisfaction both ways.
- Allow remote work
If your employees can not come to the office then ease them with remote working. Remote workers are 35%-40% more productive than those who are bound to work in the offices. Do you know what this means? Employees who are not forced to come to offices feel happier and by 2025, 22% of the American workforce will be remote. Quality work with least negativity is all you need for your organizational success.
- Impose policies to avoid gender discrimination
Research says, one of the many reasons for workplace negativity is gender discrimination. Despite equality rights, 4 in 10 women report they have experienced gender discrimination. If you are a female manager you know the pain. What good can come out of a workplace where you work so hard but denied promotion or fair pay?
So to avoid the effects of workplace negativity make sure to act fair and square.
- Manage conflicts
When there are people working together conflicts are always inevitable. However, you as a manager need to manage it well by collaborating with your employees. The collaborative style of conflict creates a win-win situation for all. For example, if you want your employees to work overtime then you can give them an early off later till the overtime hours get compensated.
Smaller conflicts if left unaddressed can lead to a toxic work environment. Hence, you need to manage conflicts well so they don’t arise in the first place.
- Put in place strict work-life balance policies
When there is work overload in the office your employees get overburdened. Some organizations allot homework to employees. Yes, preparation is a good thing but by homework I mean, the employees are assigned work over the weekends.
This creates a huge work-life imbalance and the person under pressure from both sides is your employee. Be kind and make sure your work-life balance policies are followed.
- Reward and recognize your employees
Did you know? In 2020 employee engagement decreased to 20% from 22% in 2019. It means 80% of employees lacked enthusiasm and reflected negative behaviours. Rewards and recognition have a huge impact on employee behaviours. The employees who get appreciated and rewarded for their efforts perform better and are unlikely to switch jobs.
Your simple gestures can also work as recognitions which may push your employees to perform better and be optimistic.
- Ensure career advancement
Imagine you have two options, job A will bear your education expenses, train you, and support you in your career advancement. While job B has no chance of advancement for many years to come. Will you not feel exhausted if you choose job B? You will complain every day about how bad your job is which will result in negative behaviours.
As a manager, you need to be empathetic and work on providing career opportunities to your employees for a pleasant workspace.
- Be a good leader
If you lead, you are likely to foresee the light that is at the end of the tunnel which your employees cannot. By being a good leader you can help them manage the stress that 80% of workers experience.
Nobody likes dictation while they are juggling so many tasks. However, nobody declines a helping hand in such situations. If you work through their problems workplace negativity will be minimized.
- Provide room for creativity
Routine work is like eating the same meal every day. There comes a time when you start hating it. Similarly, if you do not allow your employees to be creative or innovate they will feel irritated. Employee satisfaction requires flexibility. Give them authority over tasks so they do not hate you for not believing in them.
- Provide feedback
Providing feedback is one of the most valuable gifts you can give to your employees. Have you ever noticed when you tell others what you think about them they always listen with great interest? That is the feedback about how you perceive them.
Similarly, employees like to receive feedback about their performance. Once they know their flaws they work on them. If you do not provide feedback chances are they will be misled and feel a void. They will then blame you for their mistakes. Hence, provide feedback as 4 out of 10 employees are disengaged if feedback is not provided.
Conclusion
Workplace negativity has many consequences if not dealt with on time. Once it increases you will have difficulty minimizing it. I suggest you follow these tips to have a peaceful workplace.
