Five Ways to Squash Workplace Negativity

Into every workplace a little negativity will sometimes fall. Though a blend of personalities and viewpoints will ultimately make your company culture stronger, it stands to reason that not everyone will see eye-to-eye all the time. This is a perfectly normal occurrence when people work together, and it’s how you handle it as a manager that makes all the difference.   

How to minimize workplace negativity

When you notice negativity start to rear its head, you can get it under control with these tips from one of the leading temp agencies in Atlanta—Snelling Georgia Group:  

  1. Be the change you want to see. If you as a manager aren’t positive, you can’t expect your reports to stay positive, either. So be a shining example of positivity by addressing the negativity head-on and offering solutions for how to view a situation in a more positive light.  
  2. Don’t let bad behavior go unchecked. It can be easy to see which employees have a negative edge. Schedule time one-on-one to touch base with a negative employee, mention what you’ve noticed and find out what happened to cause the negativity. The longer you let bad behavior go, the longer you’re giving it to escalate.
  3. Encourage positivity. In all interactions with your employees, simply be positive. It’s a behavior that’s contagious and grows the more you foster it.
  4. Communicate regularly. This is the best way to address any negative behavior at its roots. Have regular meetings with each employee individually to talk about their job, their questions or concerns, and what you can do to help them reach their goals. Open lines of communication can help employees stay on track and gives them a chance to voice any concerns they may have, for example conflicts with another employee. This way, you can take action before issues grow into larger problems.  
  5. Build a positive culture. You can do this by encouraging gratitude, building systems by which employees can thank each other (for example message boards or thank you note templates), and by promoting teamwork and inclusion.  

Be able to identify bad hires

Sometimes, negativity can be so ingrained, an employee is simply toxic to his or her coworkers. If you find you can’t “flip the script” with one of your workers, it can be easier to make a replacement than suffer the consequences to the rest of your team.  

Need to staff up?

If you’re in the Atlanta area and need to add new workers, contact Snelling Georgia Group. We’ll work with you to understand your staffing needs and find qualified candidates who fit.  

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