Tweet

How to Eliminate Workplace Negativity

Guest post by: Jennifer Loftus

Article Overview: As mere humans, we are bound to make mistakes such as say things that may not be perceived well, or perhaps make a decision that can affect themselves and several fellow employees negatively. Unfortunately, with workplace negativity these small issues, if not handled accurately, can fester into bigger issues within the entire organization. The extra time and effort spent to correct, an already festering negative environment could be conserved if small efforts are made to identify, and eliminate the small sparks. In this astronology article, we will find the identifying marks of a festering negative culture, and list the many ways organizations can overcome the dilemma.

How to Eliminate Workplace Negativity

Warning Signs

One vital skill needed in order to eliminate the environmental negativity is the ability to identify such the warning signs:

• Excessive Workload- Stress is always a source of negativity. During the seasonal moments where an organization may be at its busiest, and undercurrent of stress can also bring the negative thoughts, of being under appreciated, and overworked.

• Lack of Trust within the Management- When employees have no confidence in their superiors, negative thoughts and perceptions begin to grow within members who firmly believe they can do a better job at managing then the members who currently occupy the position.

• Anxiety Over Job Security, Current Economic Climate- while we are still reeling over a nosedive in our economic standing, Job Security is a serious hot topic amongst employees. Budget cuts, has lead to lay-offs, and unemployment is still at an unprecedented high. Needless to say, the anxious buzz amongst workers causes a mountain of negative energy in the workplace.

• Lack of Recognition Within the Workplace- As mentioned in the first bullet, thoughts of under appreciation could bring serious negative thoughts and attitudes to an organization. Employees, who do not feel valued, don’t bring their best to the organization. (From HR Daily Advisor)

Some other factors that should be considered include the scenario if an employee loses their job, and other employees take on extra responsibilities to supplement. In particular, employees may begrudgingly take on the tasks, just to save their job. Another scenario could be if an employee applies for a position switch, or promotion and does not receive the promotion/switch desired.

Crush Those Negative Feelings!

Many of the factors and elements that cause the negative culture to exist within an organization involve the employees’ feelings and their perception of how their supervisors, and leaders view and value them. In order to curb a negative environment, it’s important that employees feel accounted for valued. Tips to do this include:

§ Treat all employees fairly and consistently- there should be no room, for thoughts of favoritism.

§ Help employees feel like they are involved- Whether its by having employees reveal their concerns at organizational meetings, organizing company picnics/parties, or delivering small thank-you notes or gifts to employees small gestures allow the employees to feel involved. The more connected they feel to the organization, the more likely it is they will view themselves and the organization positively.

§ Provide a strategic framework- make sure the company has a mission statement, and that employees view it encouraging. This will also allow the employees to see where they fit within the organization, allowing them to contribute to the success of matching the company mission.

§ Provide Recognition for Hard Work and Dedication- Employees whom have risen above the minimum to ensure the organization is represented with integrity and respect deserve something for their hard work. Whether it’s a thank you lunch, a promotion or a verbal recognition, employees need to know that their work is being noticed AND that it’s appreciated. (Tips for Minimizing Workplace Negativity by Susan HeathField)

In summation, workplace negativity can be eliminated! By recognizing the early signs and taking proactive cautionary steps to eliminate any traces of negativity your organization can thrive in a culture guaranteed for success!

Related Articles
  How to stay positive in a negative professional environment
  Here Is A Quick Way For New Managers To Turn Around Negative Attitudes
  Banning Gossip in the Office
  Remove Barriers to Happiness at Work
  Life is a Mirror
  Is Negativity Holding You Back?
  Workplace Ladder Fuel
  Stress Management Tips: Managing Stress in the Workplace
  2 Great work-life balance tips to 'Pick you UP' & 'Perk you UP'
  How to Create Collaborative Business Teams - The 3:1 Positivity Ratio
  The 8020 Rule Fallacy In Sales
  Managing Employees: Five Employee Issues That Lead to Chaos In The Workplace
  Negativity Has Left the Building: Focus on the Positive & Show Negativity the Door
  A Positive Attitude - Medical Sales Training Programs
  Overcoming Barriers to Creative Thinking
  The Third Deadly Workplace Sin: Anger
  Protect Your Attitude
  When women leave the workplace
  Boundaries Show Self Respect
  DE-CLUTTER YOUR LIFE

Article Tags: anxiety, budget cuts, buzz, economic climate, hot topic, job security, lack of trust, li class, negative energy, negative thoughts, negativity, nosedive, perceptions, rsquo, superiors, ul style, undercurrent, unemployment, vital skill, warning signs



Related Forum Posts
Re: The 3 Factors That are Limiting Your Productivity - Eliminate... automate... delegate... Good stuff. Another video for my blog!
Re: The 3 Factors That are Limiting Your Productivity - Hi Evan, Thanks for a great article and video on 'The 3 Factors That are Limiting Your Productivity'. I think that no matter whether you are self employed like myself or a CEO with staff, it is so important to manage your time so as to maximize the benefit to your business. Your expression Eliminate; Automate; Delegate is easy to remember and will certainly stick in my mind. There are many good business ideas out there but they will ultimately run into difficulty without proper planning and execution so these tips will certainly help. I have also left this comment on the article and will place a link to it on my blog. regards, Mal.
Re: Review My: e-product sales letter - Hi Evan, I just came across your forum and your request for a review. I'm don't write copy full time, but I have written copy for Tom Antion and Bill Brooks. After skimming your letter, here are a few things you might want to consider (overall, a good job) 1) Eliminate the "buy now" message and button at the top: a very small percentage of visitors will be ready to buy at that point. I think it risks coming across to the majority of the visitors as a salesman way too eager to close a deal. 2) The testimonials on top of page without names are meaningless. You have great testimonials, use one of them starting out, maybe the one by Laplanche. 3) Bonus 1 & 4: My first reaction was "why would I want to see a business plan from another era? Give a reason as to why they are still relevant in todays marketplace. 4) I LOVE your guarantee, I've never seen it before: "This better work..." I only had five minutes to read the sales letter and then get my reaction to you, just didn't have more time for now. Alan
Workplace Warrior: Insights and advice for winning on the co - Workplace Warrior: Insights and advice for winning on the corporate battlefield Kay Hammer 2000 From the inside jacket: Successful people don't get to the top without struggles. But few are willing to expose the failures and setbacks that have lined their paths through the battle zones of business. Kay Hammer is that rare breed. With startling candor and penetrating intelligence, this "very modern, very American heroine (Forbes) gives a frank and full recounting of her mid-career reinvention, from a linguistics professor alone to the President, CEO, and co-founder of Evolutionary Technologies International... Hammer's new life began with an epiphany - that nothing substantive in her life would change unless she made it happen. There would be no Prince Charming. From that moment on, she began a long, ardous journey to carve for herself in the youthful, male-dominated software industry-a journey which she likens to serving the apprenticeship of a medieval warrior... Her strategies are geared for battles on all fronts: not only for disarming foes, gaining allies, and winning battles in the boardroom, but also for confronting the internal enemies of self-doubt, fear of failure, and unresolved anger.
Books for Women Entrepreneurs - There's a thread for good books in the Resources folder, but it doesn't target books for businesswomen particularly, so I figured I'd start such a thread here. It doesn't matter how successful you are in your business - it's always possible to learn something new. In subsequent posts I give Table of Contents and brief descriptions for various titles - most of them devoted to the businesswoman - and sometimes a review. If anyone else has read a review, or has read the book and found it useful, please comment! 1. The Old Girl's Network 2. Mother's Work 3. The 7 Greatest Truths About Successful Women 4. Pitch Like A Girl 5. Workplace Warrior 6. Treasure Hunt: Inside the Mind of the Modern Consumer 7. Contingency Planning & Disaster Recovery 8. She Wins, You Win 9. Napoleon On Project Management 10. Why Good Girls Dont' Get Ahead, But Gutsy Girls Do 11. Comeback Moms: How to Leave Work, Raise Children, and Restart your Career even If you Haven't Had a Job in Years 12. The One Minute Millionaire 13. Talking From 9 to 5 14. Soloing: Realizing Your Life's Ambitions 15. 101 Best Home Based Businesses for Women: Everything You Need to Know About Getting Started on the Road To Success 16. Work With Passion: How to Do What You Love for a Living. Revised and Expanded 17. Fail-Proof Your Business: Beat the Odds and be Successful 18. Confidence: How Winning Streaks and Losing Streaks Begin and End 19. Women Don't Ask: Negotiation and the Gender Divide 20. Millionaire Women Next Door: The Many Journeys of Successful American Businesswomen 21. Start Small, Finish Big: Fifteen Key Lessons to Start - and Run - Your Own Successful Business 22. Rewired, Rehired or Retired: A Global Guide for the Experienced Worker 23. The Martha Rules: 10 essentials for achieving success as you start, build or manage a business 24. The Essentials of Entrepreneurship: What it takes to create Successful Enterprises 25. Net Ready: Strategies for Success in the E-conomy 26. The Promotable Woman 27. Leave The Office Earlier: The Productivity Pro shows you how to do more in less time and feel great about it 28. The Work At Home Balancing Act: The professional resource guide for managing yourself, your work, and your family at home 29. Secrets of Six-Figure Women


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

Too Many Sales Reps Are Wimps

How to Sell to the Price Driven Customer

Ten Reasons to take Notes during Sales Meetings

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.