Combating negativity in the workplace
Turn the negative into a positive
They’re the ones who constantly complain and moan about work. Or the snappy colleagues who shoot down any proposed ideas and spread false rumours around the company.
With mounting workloads an increased pressures, it’s no wonder employees are starting to get stressed and with this stress, it may manifest itself in displays of negative emotions.
If left unchecked, such negative and toxic people and their emotions can affect the morale of co-workers. So what can HR do about these employees?
One suggestion provided by a HR firm Jaluch was to first identify the individuals who are the source of the negativity. Employers should then raise their concerns along with supporting evidence at a fairly formal meeting. This should be followed by a letter stating clear objectives and a timeline for change.
Helen Clarke, managing director of Jaluch adds: “Self-help books and one-to-one coaching can be effective in reversing negativity and psychometric profiling can help start the process. Communication skills training could also help those whose poor attitude stems from problems with expressing themselves.”
But what if you are suffering from the negative emotions yourself? According to TheWashington Post article , there is little good in trying to tell yourself to be more positive or reason our way out of your negative feelings. “As crazy as it sounds, you must behave as if you are happy, even if you are not. Eventually, your attitude will catch up with your actions and you will start to feel more engaged and motivated.”
Afterall, the article says, happy people thrive on being productive and taking ownership of their jobs. But to make it relevant for yourself, you should decide on what actions you are going to do every day to ensure that you act the part of the happy employee. “After a while, you just might catch yourself feeling happy, too.”
Other tips for staying positive at work includes eating healthily and exercising as well as associating with positive people to be “infected” by their positivity.
So what tips do you have on not losing your cool and staying positive during this economic downturn?
(Via)
Lisa Cheong
Lee Xieli
mavelltan
“Stress is a major cause of ill-health, low productivity levels and absenteeism in the workplace. To be effective in helping employees manage stress, the key is to cater to individuals. Rather than assuming that large and all-encompassing programmes fit everyone, it is recommended to offer a wide range of different tools to achieve balance as each individual can adapt to the tools that suit them best. For a recent HR event, Adecco produced a white paper on “Wellness in the Workplace – What More Can You Do During Times of Change?”, which takes a look at how organizations are facing up to the increased stress caused by the changes taking place in the global economy. To request for a copy of the white paper, kindly email me at jessica.chew@adecco-asia.com.
- Jessica Chew, Adecco Singapore Marketing Team
Jessica Chew
May 29, 2009 at 9:42 am