5 Tips for Minimizing Workplace Negativity, as the Employer

Identifying Workplace Negativity

When you look around your workplace, what are the attitudes and behaviours of your employees? Does employee morale appear to be high or low? Do your employees seem connected or disconnected when they show up to work? These are questions to ask yourself, as an employer, when checking in on the health status of your workplace culture.

How to Spot Workplace Negativity

Take a moment to do a quick evaluation of your business. Do you find that you are often:

• Dealing with employee complaints and resolving conflicts;
• Overhearing rudeness between employees or towards customers;
• Seeing less-than-professional behaviours from your employees; or
• Feeling like employee commitment is declining?

These findings could mean that you are dealing with a workplace that is negative, and negativity is one of the toughest problems to manage. Unfortunately, it is infectious, and spreads faster than you think.

5 Tips to Minimize Workplace Negativity

As the employer, you are in a position to stop workplace negativity from fast-spreading. Knowing what your employees are negative about is the first step to solving the problem. Here are five tips on how you can do so.

1. Get Employee Feedback Give your employees the opportunity to express their opinions about the workplace either through performance reviews, or anonymous complaint forms. Without the possibility of sharing negative feedback to upper management, your employee will likely turn to another employee with their problems instead. This is how workplace negativity starts to multiply.
2. Communicate Openly Provide your staff with an employee handbook that clearly defines workplace policies and procedures. If you plan to implement a new policy or practice, ask for input from your employees so they feel involved in the decision-making process. When these plans are put in place, apply them consistently.
3. Recognize Good Behaviour It's important to reward your employees so that they see their contribution is valued and feel appreciated. By doing so, you are also encouraging positive thoughts and attitudes towards your organization.
4. Provide Opportunities for Training and Development You can show commitment to your employees by offering opportunities for them to grow and develop. It's important that your employees feel your business contributes to their career in such a way that they are challenged to always be learning.
5. Build Positivity Into Your Workplace Culture There are many ways to encourage a positive work environment. Find out what makes your employees motivated to come to work everyday, and reinforce that drive. Having a strong company culture is a major driver of growth, performance and valuation; it motivates people, promotes a collaborative mentality, encourages productivity, and in turn, maintains high morale.