Developing and maintaining a positive attitude at the workplace is very important nowadays. Regardless whether you are a junior employee, manager or the employer, maintaining a positive attitude is imperative if you are eying promotions and increments and wish to further your career.
Understandably, you will find a myriad of personalities in the workplace. Some would be indifferent while others may be outright hostile. Yet others would be awaiting opportunities to hop job and using your workplace as transit camp of sorts.
But there would definitely be some who look forward to someone who brightens up the office with their presence. The good news is, you could be the one that brings cheer to your workplace to improve work quality that translates as better productivity.
Doubtlessly, there would be hurdles along the way to develop and maintain a positive attitude at your workplace. Following these simple steps may help in that direction.
Importance of Positive Attitude
Attitudes are contagious. The mood of one employee or boss for that matter catches up swiftly. A bad attitude or negative attitude among coworkers cause a severe drop in efficiency levels. Worse, it leads to high attrition and increases in recruitment and training expenses.
While employers do try to develop and maintain a positive attitude at the workplace, their efforts may be insufficient. In such instances, you can step in and create the right work ambience.
Developing & Maintaining a Positive Attitude
Let us first comprehend that developing and maintaining a positive attitude at the workplace is not an overnight exercise.
Nor is it possible to do so within a limited time span. Depending on where you work and personalities of your peers, seniors, and juniors, this endeavor can take several months. Hence, you need to go about in steps.
Reduce Clutter
What has office clutter got to do with a positive attitude at the workplace? A lot in fact. Desktop clutter imparts a feeling of helplessness. Paper piles are a stark reminder of work left incomplete for you as well as others at the workplace.
Desks with clutter cause stress both- for the person that uses it as well as those around. To develop and maintain a positive attitude at the workplace, the first step is to reduce and eliminate office clutter completely.
Office Etiquette
Proper office etiquette involves respecting colleagues, juniors and seniors alike. When you address a person respectfully, you can expect reciprocation. A healthy respect and preventing the use of unceremonious language fosters a sense of camaraderie among everyone at the workplace.
Office etiquette also includes maintaining proper dress code, punctuality, and telephone manners. Regardless whether you are speaking with a business associate, spouse or a repairman, keep decibels to a minimum.
Remember, you are being overheard already. Bawling will only serve to distract others from their work causing a negative attitude.
Identify Problems
Unless you identify problems, it would be impossible to develop and maintain a positive attitude at the workplace. By problems, I mean work-related issues as well as those concerning other staff.
While work-related issues can be sorted out with some out of the box thinking or using conventional methods. Involve people at a workplace in decision making to identify and solve problems. It makes them feel wanted and will readily participate.
Dealing with staff related issues can prove very difficult. Because there can be several vested interests. Your workplace may have some staff that believes in politicking and groupings. Ignoring them altogether does not help.
Nor does gallivanting with such workers. Instead, remain neutral to groups. Let people around know you are apolitical and you have no leanings either way. This restores confidence among coworkers about your integrity and helps develop and maintain a positive attitude.
Arouse Curiosity
Nothing galvanizes people into action than curiosity. When you arouse curiosity about the job on hand and invite coworkers to be part of the solution, you develop a positive attitude at the workplace.
People always want to feel wanted. Make them feel empowered & part of a broader picture than merely the job. They will maintain a positive attitude.
Arousing curiosity and involving others also opens avenues to explore newer ideas. Invariably, there would be something you skipped or overlooked.
An alert coworker would detect this loophole and point it out. Provided, you offer them the opportunity. Working like an island never helps anyone or even an organization. You can exert efforts to eliminate this sense of isolation if it exists at the workplace.
Eliminate Bureaucracy
Bureaucracy or red tape is the bane of all major corporations. Waiting long to get something as simple as a leave sanctioned by the HR tends to put off employees.
Instead, find ways and means to cut across the red tape and eliminate bureaucratic hurdles. This goes a long way to develop and maintain a positive attitude at the workplace.
Understandably, systems are in place for a reason. Find out reasons why such red tape exists. It could be some archaic rule that needs review.
Be courageous to point that out to appropriate authorities at your workplace. You will meet some resistance for sure but this will ebb when people see inherent benefits of a much faster and efficient system.
Define Goals Clearly
A major drawback of most organizations is the inability to define goals clearly. This leads to staff working in directions they feel are best.
Instead, point out where your company stands and where it wants to be in the next few months. Inform each coworker of how they and you can contribute towards this goal.
Working towards a well-defined goal is much easier than chasing a vague objective. Once you define goals, it becomes easier for coworkers to set their own targets.
This fosters a positive attitude since time is better utilized. Time is used for achieving a target rather than mere politicking or gossiping.
Avoid Complaining
Unknown to you, complaining tends to promote negative attitudes at the workplace. Whenever anyone complains, others identify with it.
Rather than offering solutions, they further fuel some situation by adding their own grouses against a person or situation. This leads to lots of bad blood around the workplace.
This does not imply you refrain from complaining altogether. Instead, find out which is the right authority to make a complaint.
Always complain discreetly, without letting others know. If it is an issue of common concern, address it to the right department or authority and get deadlines by when the proper resolution would be available.
Overcome Negative Stress
Overcoming negative stress is very useful to develop and maintain a positive attitude at the workplace. Negative stress arises from several causes.
It can stem from someone’s inherent inability to perform a given task or general dislike for someone in the same team. You can feel stressed due to work burden too.
Deploy any good de-stressing techniques. The most popular is power meditation. It involves closing your eyes for a couple of minutes and thinking of something beautiful.
Combine this with some deep breathing and your stress should reduce almost instantly. Encourage fellow workers to do the same.
Appreciation
Competition is the intrinsic nature of all living creatures. The same holds true for humans. When you appreciate someone for a job well done, it creates a sense of competition among others.
They too pine for such appreciation. As you would be aware, healthy competition helps bring out the best in each person. People forget mutual differences to compete for a common reward.
Appreciation and if possible rewards for doing a great job helps immensely in developing and maintaining a positive attitude at the workplace.
If you are an employee and cannot reward others, a simple word of appreciation would suffice. At best, you can invite them for a coffee or snack at your expense. It does help bonding with colleagues and fosters camaraderie.
Get-togethers
Informal get-togethers held on weekends and outside work hours does develop and maintain a positive attitude at the workplace.
Inviting coworkers or staff with their families for parties and events helps them know you care. It takes workplace friendships to a new and higher level. Millions of organizations around the world host such events for staff.
If you are not the decision-maker, simply invite colleagues for a few drinks or a picnic with the family. It puts people at ease. They gain confidence in your leadership skills.
All this translates as better productivity and an overall improvement in attitudes at the workplace. Your initiative will encourage others to follow suit.
Other Methods
You can also combine other methods to develop and maintain a positive attitude at the workplace. One is emotional stability.
Never go into fits of rage or dance with joy whenever something negative or positive occurs. Expressing moods vividly works against the positive attitudes you are trying to develop.
The other is using emotional intelligence. When you are sensitive to the emotions of others at the workplace, you can respond accordingly. People can interact fearlessly while expecting some degree of empathy from you and others.
Wrap Up
As we have seen, it is not necessary to be a decision-maker or hold a senior, managerial position to develop and maintain a positive attitude at the workplace.
Attitude is contagious. Using the above steps, your positive attitude can filter down to those you work with. It can help you get promotions and rise in career.
