What are some examples of workplace attitudes?
Attitude at work can be good, though when being discussed it will usually be about a poor attitude. It is important to recognise both types. It has a significant impact on a workplace, including productivity levels and morale.
Positive attitude at work examples
- Loyalty
- Leadership
- A willingness to go above and beyond
- Positive mood
- Mentoring
- Integrity
Negative attitude at work examples
From just these quick examples, we’re sure you can think of people in your organisation that might fit into either category.
Effects of attitudes on the rest of the team
A positive attitude is great—but negativity can be a problem. Some effects of negative attitudes behaviour on others include lower productivity, higher rates of absence, less team cohesion and low morale.
Negative attitudes effects
- Lacklustre performance
- Unwillingness to work collaboratively
- Dismal outlook
- Unwillingness to try new things
- Reduced energy levels
- Increased absences
- Depressive feelings
- Reduced quality of work
- Poor customer engagement
- Difficulty overcoming obstacles
Positive attitudes effects
- Increased productivity
- Greater probability of collaboration and teamwork
- Improved morale
- Ability to overcome adversity
- Willingness to think creatively and try new things
- Willingness to share information and ideas
- Lower turnover
- Increased sense of camaraderie
- Improved customer service
How can I ensure positive attitudes at work?
Negative employee attitudes and behaviours at work can be tiring and stressful to manage. But there are some things you can do which will make dealing with difficult staff much easier:
1. Listen
A bit of a catch-all solution to a lot of problems. Sometimes, negative attitudes arise because someone is under stress, and is finding it hard to cope. Not everyone knows how to ask for help in this case, and they may lash out.
Listen to your teams and watch out for signs of stress—especially in the people who are reacting badly. Job satisfaction will improve if you listen to the employee about their issues.
2. Manage
Weekly catchups, performance reviews and chats are a great way to pick up on and fix negative attitudes. Remember, a negative work attitude isn’t always a staff member’s fault—they could have a lot on their plate, and no way to cope.
So, before you think ‘how do I deal with difficult employees,’ make some changes to the way you’re managing a team. Talk to them more. And as mentioned, listen.
3. Support
After all, if someone has the energy to maintain a bad attitude, they can use that force for good. At first, dealing with a difficult employee can seem, well, difficult.
But once you’ve figured out what’s going on, offering as much support as you can, makes a tremendous difference—whether it’s reducing a workload, changing a role, or even just asking how someone is doing at home.
4. Create a positive working culture
Like attracts like – so if you have a negative outlook and/or company culture, your people may follow suit. Ensure you have a positive, supportive working culture that facilities open conversations, wellbeing initiatives and accommodates to unique needs of individuals.
5. Call out bad behaviour
It’s important to take the employee to one side and discuss their attitude towards work. It can help to identify the cause, or gain clues if they’re being dismissive. After all, if it isn’t addressed early, getting the employee to bounce back from a negative attitude to work can be incredibly difficult.
