Work Place Negativity - How to minimize ?

Negativity spreads everywhere even in the work place. It can affect everyone in the organization. But the good thing is that a person, a boss or any other employee, can negate the negativity and turn it into a positive experience. If there is negativity everywhere, one has a choice to either respond with negativity as well or to respond with positivity. To minimize negativity, one has to respond in a positive manner.

Focusing more on the negativity spreads it like wildfire. Instead, try cutting it up once and for all by turning it around and handling it with positivity. But how? Here are some tips on how to minimize work place negativity:

• Open communication – Oftentimes, negativity spreads because of miscommunication. One employee misunderstood another employee and because of this misunderstanding, negativity affected the employee’s work and output. Instead of focusing on the misunderstanding that occurred, focus on how to make amends and have proper understanding between employees.

Open communication is a means of reaching proper understanding. It welcomes giving and receiving feedback in a timely manner which in turn prevents misunderstanding.

Open communication is also a way of keeping employees informed of what’s happening in the organization. It’s a means of saying that employees are important, and they have the right to know and get involved.

• Practice trust – Negativity happens when one employee has suspicious thinking about another. Because of this suspicion, anything that this suspected employee does seems to be doubtful and other employees wait and see what happens next and they always expect a negative result. Since they are all thinking that the employee cannot be trusted, even if the employee does something good, they still can’t believe that. They think that it’s too good to be true and there must be something bad hidden somewhere.

Trusting people tames the negativity. Trust that other employees are working hard and would want to provide quality work just like you do.

• RESPECT – Employees turn negative when they feel disrespected by their co-workers and most especially by their boss. Everyone wants to be respected and the most common fear of people is being put to shame publicly. Once this happens, negativity will be all over the place.

Respect is not only for the bosses but for all employees. Subordinates, colleagues and bosses have to be respected at all times. Each employee will have a positive experience if everyone feels respected.

• Celebrate performance – Negativity occurs when an employee feels that all his efforts are put to waste. He gave his best to finish a project and after that no one has recognized his work instead some minimal inconsistencies have been highlighted.

Celebrate performance and acknowledge people’s hard work. Providing proper rewards and recognition turns away negativity. Employees experience fulfillment instead of negativity after finishing a challenging project.

Negativity starts with one employee and it spreads because other employees entertain the negativity. Positivity also starts with one employee and it spreads when other employees embrace the positivity. You have a choice whether to spread negativity or positivity in your organization.