Say No to Negativity

How to deal with and minimize Workplace negativity

Nothing is more harmful to your team’s performance than unwanted and consistent negativity in the workplace. Constant bad energy, if not dealt with can create resentment within the team and a completely disheartening environment. Instead of focusing on the work and productivity, the focus might be turned to petty feuds which could have easily been avoided had the situation been acknowledged and resolved at an early stage.

For any individual, along with challenging and fulfilling work, the environment that he/she spends most of the day in, is equally vital. This negativity can come in any form, it may be an attitude, an outlook, or a person. It is very important to not let any kind of negativity come in between your team and their performance. So, we have come up with 5 effective steps to minimize workplace negativity:

STEP 1:  ACKNOWLEDGE:

In order to deal with any problem, you have to acknowledge it first. Sweeping things under the rug is not only inadvisable but also futile. Your team needs to know that you are willing to have an unconventional conversation for the sake of a healthy environment. It is necessary to make it known in the very early stages itself that a certain attitude or behavior is inexcusable irrespective of who or what may be the cause. Acknowledgment is in many ways half battle won because at times turning a blind eye encourages and even worsens the situation.

STEP 2: DISSECT:

In order to resolve any situation, it is imperative that you understand it completely first. Categorically dissecting the situation and analyzing the source is crucial. If you do not manage to grasp the reason for the ongoing hostility among the team or understand the root cause, it might make matters even worse. In order to break the chain, you have to understand its function. It is important to have a 360-degree understanding before you rule out any verdict.

STEP 3: COMMUNICATE:

They don’t say, ‘Communication is Key’ for nothing. Humans have been given the gift of speech and being able to express themselves in the best way possible, but more often than not, that gift is lost on us. We tend to avoid communication in order to avoid awkwardness or just because we are fearful of how it may turn out to be. The confrontation of the problem is unfortunately not something we do best. From a Company point of view, that will simply not do, if the employees don’t communicate properly, it will eventually affect their work. It is important to have a face to face conversation with whoever involved, present the problem, and have all parties involved hear and be heard. 

STEP 4: RESOLVE:

Now, after going through all the details, having everyone express their opinion, it is important to come up with a way to resolve the situation without any bias whatsoever.

It is important to let everyone know that in order to work efficiently as a team we must not carry around past grievances. As professionals, we must learn to Let Go. Nothing is more important than the work that we do and the collective growth of the team.

STEP 5: DON’T REPEAT:

For any company, having your team work well among themselves is important. Organizing team-building exercises & activities and healthy competitions that boost morale can go a very long way. The better we work together, the faster we grow.

Let us know in the comments below how you and your team ensure that no negativity seeps in your workplace or how you deal with it. See you again on our next blog. Until then, Stay Home, Stay Safe.