There are numerous reasons that workplace negativity crops up.
1. Culture and resistance to change - One major issue is the culture that is practiced within an organisation. Even though the organisation implements a major cultural shift, most of the senior staff will not adhere to this change. Most often the senior employees of the organisation will continue to practice the culture they were used to, which will be very different to the one which is practiced by the younger employees; this therefore may lead to mishaps among them.
2. Egoistic Mindset - Another key problem that causes workplace negativity is the set mind frame employees have about how things should be done within the organisation , and any person, plan or solution that differs from that is seen as inappropriate and ‘wrong’ for the organisation .
3. Ineffective Communication - Ineffective communication between management and employees too could cause a lot of negativity in the workplace, as they would find it difficult to converse their concerns and resolve any issues. Miscommunication frequently causes rift between two or more groups in the company and energy diverted into this rift will contribute to negativity.
4. Boredom and Burnout - Also matters such as boredom and burnout could lead to workplace negativity. An employee bored without work that motivates him/her would not have a sense of purpose in the organisation and so will feel the negative feeling of dejection.
Consequences of Workplace Negativity
There will be several unfavorable consequences to the organisation and to its employees as a result of workplace negativity.
1. Employees lose confidence - Continuous negative attitude in the workplace can create a lack of confidence and mistrust in the management among employees. Therefore their morale begins to drop, and finally they will lose motivation to develop skills and perform well, thus causing an adverse impact on the organisation.
2. Inhibits creativity and innovation – Negativity could also choke the creativity of an organisation. People tend to stick to conventional methods as they do not want to take the risk to try out something out of the box as it might be ineffective, hence the innovation of new products will come to a halt and the organisation will not move forward.
3. Miscommunication - Effective communication will also be hindered as a result of this negativity. Employees may no longer speak with each other since they have issues regarding negative communication, or no longer trust information provided by others. This therefore, will erode communication throughout the whole organisation. Misinformation and gossip could also cause team fractures which lead to a breakdown of teamwork; hence they will be unable to provide the results the organisation requires.
Combatting Negativity
1. Diagnose the Problem - The first step managers need to take in order to minimize existing workplace negativity is to diagnose what people are negative about. It is important to conduct a cause analysis in order to identify all probable causes of the negativity, and then work on identifying which one is biggest possible cause.
2. Speak to Employees - Speaking and listening to employees about issues they have is one way of understanding the exact issue and the degree to which they effect the organisation. In order to do this it is essential to identify the precise groups that are undergoing this negativity and the nature of the problems that ignited their unhappiness. Conduct group discussions and get everyone to participate and voice out their concerns and opinions.
3. Keep Employees involved in the problem-solving process - When resolving the problem, managers need to communicate information to employees at every step; about the problem and all the solutions that might be implemented to combat it. When employees know what steps are taken, they will be more willing to join in.
4. Choose and communicate strategies – Thereafter, managers could apply certain strategies in order to overcome workplace negativity. It is vital to let the employee know the adverse impact that his/her negativity has on the organisation and other employees, and focus more on the positive contributions that they bring to the organisation , also help him/her build their self-image and capacity.
5. Provide Employees with development opportunities – Offer them the opportunity to be leaders, as people want to feel that they are a part of something bigger. Provide them with necessary training which will enable them to grow and develop.
6. Utilize Rewards and Recognition – It is also essential to make them feel valued by providing them with adequate promotions and appropriate rewards. Most of the time a simple act of recognising the employee will go a long way in psychologically uplifting them.
7. Give the right amount of Work – If it is seen that an individual has insufficient workload, it is important to assign more challenges to keep them motivated. Also if an individual has an overload of work which may lead to burnout and cause negativity, it might be necessary to even out their work a little.
8. Adopt a culture which emphasizes teamwork - Try adopt a “no one succeeds till everyone succeeds” culture in the workplace, which would motivate them to work better as a group.
9. Teach Managers to be great role modules - Another very important strategy is for the manager to be a good role model, get everyone to focus of the schedules, be a good listener, be efficient in problem solving, function as a connector and engage in work with greater meaning and purpose. A strong team leader can really make a difference. Make your organisation one which leaders and members collaborate freely, are prepared to accept the opinions of others, and demonstrate no barriers or judgments against each other.
10. Incorporate Continuous Improvement – Continuous Improvement ensures that the effort made to inhibit negativity remains instilled in the organisation. It would mean that the employees remain focused on developing and improving their processes and not have time to build up negative sentiments.
