Managing workplace negativity and increase retention

 

Managing workplace negativity and increase retention

Introduction

As an HR manager, you must keep an eye on workplace negativity since it may harm your company's performance. Employee morale decreases, and negative thinking takes up more time and energy than productive work. They may be hesitant to take on new roles and responsibilities, or their creativity and inventiveness may suffer as a result. If they can't think of new ways to fulfill their goals, the company's growth may suffer. Negativity is costly to businesses and has a negative impact on employee relationships (Birdi, et al., 2008).

The first step to minimizing workplace negativity is to identify a root cause. That is,

·         A loss of confidence or autonomy 

·         Burnt out due to excessive work or strict deadlines

·         Misunderstood or unheard in the workplace

·         Unappreciated, unrecognized, or underpaid

·         Unable to resolve disagreements with peers 

·         Negative as a result of rumors or gossip

·         Motivated but lacking in resources or support

Once you know the underlying reason for workplace negativity in your organization, you can work to reduce it. As,

Identify the cause -We mentioned some frequent workplace annoyances above, but how can you determine which ones influence your organization? There may be valid concerns to address, and criticizing others for their shortcomings will not help. The key to spotting workplace negativity is observation. Observe how employees interact in order to gain an understanding of their views about the organization. Constantly solicit feedback from your personnel (Bratton & Gold, 2017).

Create a positive work culture - It is important to develop a positive culture at your workplace to prevent negativity. A positive work culture reduces stress and enhances the happiness and productivity of your employees (Birdi, et al., 2008). When the workplace is positive, your employees’ commitment towards the organization increases and turnover is reduced. The following ideas can help you to create a positive work environment:

• Recognize your employees’ hard work
• Motivate teams with incentives
• Treat everyone with respect
• Organize fun activities regularly
• Promote communication and collaboration

Encourage open communication - Pay attention to the opinions and ideas your employees have to ensure that they feel comfortable in their work environment. Give them a voice in the organization. Your employees will feel more valued and develop a more optimistic outlook on the company and their growth within it (Deloitte and Touch Human Capital, 2011). Some ways to encourage open communication in an organization are:

·         Evaluate the current communication strategy in your organization

·         Put an end to one-way communication

·         Implement an open door policy

·         Encourage your employees to provide feed back

·         Recognize and reward this feedback

Trust your employees - Develop a sense of trust between and with your employees. When your organization doesn’t trust its employees, it can be very obvious. This can lead to lower motivation, and employees may feel unable or unwilling to use their full potential (Bratton & Gold, 2017). Here are some steps to foster trust between management and employees:

·         Keep your employees informed about important decisions

·         Encourage integrity and ethical behavior in your organization

·         Pay attention to your employees’ interests

·         Implement training opportunities

·         Provide credit to your employees when they succeed

Treat all employees equally - Favoritism can cause a loss of motivation and build a feeling of resentment in your employees (Birdi, et al., 2008). As a result, employee loyalty lessens, and a negative attitude towards the organization develops. As an HR manager, it’s your duty to prevent favoritism and ensure that work policies are followed by all the employees. The following ideas can help you to prevent favoritism:

·         Pay close attention to how you communicate with your employees

·         Ensure that the mode of evaluation is the same for all employees

·         Avoid spending too much time with a particular employee

·         Conduct regular meetings with all employees

·         Implement a process that allows employees to report bias

·         Provide proper reasons for every decision involving employees

Conclusion

Workplace negativity is a major issue that can cause severe financial consequences to your organization. It can decrease employee morale and drain your employees’ energy. Dealing with unmotivated and unhappy employees can cause a lot of stress, and the negativity gradually spreads from one employee to another. Practicing these tips, may help you prevent this negativity, and build a happy, productive, and positive work environment.

 

References

Birdi, C. et al., 2008. The Impact of Human Resource and Operational management Practices on Company Productivity.. Personnel Psychology, pp. 67-70.

Bratton, J. & Gold, J., 2017. Human Resource Management: Theory and Practice. London: Palgrave.

Deloitte and Touch Human Capital, 2011. Stratagic Internal Communications. Boosting Corporate Culture, Productivity and Profitability, Jaunary, pp. 42-56.