How to Help Employees Improve Their Attitudes

Some leaders are naturally charismatic, motivating employees with little effort.

The importance of employees' attitudes can be summed up in the phrase, "Attitude is everything." A negative attitude can spread like a disease if left unchecked, quickly deflating workplace motivation and employee performance. How do managers spread a positive attitude in the workplace and combat the negative repercussions associated with negative attitudes? The answer lies in the cause of employees' negative attitudes; understanding this will help managers influence positive change. Improving employee attitudes can result in improved customer service, increased productivity and performance and enhanced workplace relationships.

Instructions

1. Act as an example of someone with a positive attitude. As Gandhi once said, "Be the change you want to see in this world," or in this case, the workplace. Just as a bad attitude can be contagious, so can a smile. Showing employees that a positive attitude is possible and demonstrating how to be positive may inspire others to replicate the "good feelings" whenever you are around.

2. Ask and listen to employee needs, give constructive feedback and show that you care. All of these actions may increase job satisfaction. The more employees feel a company or job is not benefiting them or meeting their needs, the more negative their attitudes will be. In some cases, the employee and job may not be a good fit, but if there are several employees who struggle with their attitude, there is generally a bigger issue at hand and unlikely to be resolved with turnover.

3. Reward employees for a job well done. Employees want to perform well at their jobs and doing so improves their attitude. Encourage employees to be successful in their jobs, recognize this success and reward them so they know when they are successful.

4. Schedule time for team-building and socializing. Creating a work environment that values and includes everyone, while promoting collaborative efforts, promotes a feeling of belonging among employees. Good working relationships help employees feel good about where they work and can help make the workday a pleasant experience, thereby improving their attitudes.

5. Improve employee-manager relationships by communicating effectively, being supportive rather than controlling, treating employees fairly, being sincere, regularly asking employees for feedback and encouraging teamwork. If employees feel distant from management or are afraid of management, they may feel alienated by the organization and fail to see how their effort contributes to the larger picture. Improving this relationship with employees makes them feel more secure and helps to improve their attitude, as increased security reduces the need to be defensive.

6. Implement an employee motivation program. Form a committee to organize activities like celebrating employee birthdays, posting positive feedback employees receive from customers, highlighting an employee's personal accomplishments in a monthly newsletter and offering motivational training such as the "Fish! Philosophy." Maintain a workspace that is inviting and welcoming. Provide employees with training to help them cope with the workplace and support a healthy work-life balance. "Stress management" training and "positive thinking" training can improve employee attitudes.

7. Provide opportunity for employees to grow and improve. If employees feel like they are trapped or stuck in a dead-end job, it is hard to feel positive. Help employees increase their skills through additional training, workshops and tuition assistance benefits. Assign additional responsibilities to those employees who want more and post internal job openings. Create employee development plans that give employees a chance to set their own goals (improving leadership skills or learning a new computer program) and support goal attainment. Involve employees in the decision-making process and be as democratic as possible.

References

• Human Resource Managment; "Employee Attitudes and Job Satisfaction"; Lise Saari et al.; Winter 2004
• AIGA; "What's With the Attitude? Improving Employee-Manager Relations"; Pam Bryan; June 2009
• Positive-attitude-tips.com; A Positive Attitude in the Workplace Can Do These 10 Things
• HR.BLR.com; "Employee Motivation: 5 Key Steps to Improve Employee Attitudes; March 2010
• Govleaders.org; What's a Manager to Do?; Jim Trinka
• Thinkexist.com: Mahatma Gandhi Quotes