Three ways for employers to address bad attitudes

Attitudes can be contagious, and it is the responsibility of an employee to maintain his or her professionalism. On the other hand, employers also have a duty to set the tone for the organization and address attitudinal problems that threaten to derail efforts to establish and maintain a healthy work environment.{{more}}

All employers pay a heavy price for not addressing employees with negative attitudes. Studies have shown employees who work with negative people do not perform as well, their health is adversely affected, and absenteeism increases.

Turning around an organization suffering from a horrible case of negative, contagious attitudes will take time, but it’s an issue that must be addressed. Where should an employer begin?

Identify the source of the problem – Are the negative sentiments in your organization coming from one or two people or are they widespread across the organization? Chances are people with negative attitudes make it quite obvious who they are, whether they are vocal or passive aggressive.

Address the problem – If the source of the problem is one or two people, meet with those individuals to remind them of their responsibility as professionals. If the feeling is widespread, ask yourself the following question: “Are we providing the best possible working conditions for all staff on a daily basis?” It’s unrealistic to expect employees to have positive attitudes if they are being overworked, underpaid, disregarded or work in an unhealthy environment.

Educate employees – Provide quick refresher courses for your staff on what is acceptable behaviour. Employees need to understand that bad attitudes will not be tolerated and that there are consequences for performing below standards. Your attitude is part of your performance; so, while an employee may do excellent work, if their attitude is not conducive to effective team building then their performance overall is inadequate.

It’s never too late to change the culture of your company. It is your obligation to ensure that you provide the best for your employees and expect nothing less from them.

Visit online at www.workplacesuccess.com