Negativity in the workplace can be an enormous drain on an employer’s resources, in terms of time, energy and personnel. Any kind of division or conflict can demotivate the workforce, which affects commitment and loyalty and ultimately impacts on productivity. The cause of negativity and division in the work environment can be many things – personal differences, changes to work routines or procedures, business or personal performance – but it is important that any culture of negativity is identified and addressed quickly.
The culture of a business has a huge influence on how it performs, so you shouldn’t leave it to chance. Fostering a positive culture is essential in avoiding a cycle of bad habits, which can lead to poor company performance and a high turnover of staff. With more businesses introducing hybrid or flexible working patterns it becomes even more important to identify these trends and put a system in place which nurtures a positive work environment. So here we have put together six simple actions you can take to stamp out negativity and promote a more progressive and constructive culture.
1. Be a positive leader
Ultimately, as the employer or business owner, people are looking at you first and foremost, so you should lead in a way that demonstrates behaviours you would also want from your team. You need to show compassion and empathy for people, and you need to be fair and transparent. Think about the values and ethos of your brand and the business itself and lead in a way that reflects that. Your team are then more likely to follow suit.
2. Create goals and objectives
People need to be aware of the expectations placed upon them, so setting clear goals and objectives removes any ambiguity and sets a target to aim for. This also helps in people understanding their roles and responsibilities. But at the same time it is important that goals and objectives are fair and realistic, and have been discussed and agreed with the employee. These goals and objectives are often set in annual employee appraisals where there is open and honest two-way dialogue on an employee’s performance and progression.
3. Create a forum for open communication
Creating a framework for open communications can be a vehicle through which employees offer ideas, discuss their own performance or simply vent their frustrations. But having open dialogue is essential, so that employees feel they have been listened to, and hence feel valued and respected. This develops a bond of trust with the employer, and having such a system in place should reduce the development of whispers and private conversations. This could link to the appraisals concept referenced above, but also can be managed through arranging social events where the workforce get to know each other. If possible such events should be arranged in work time allowing more people attend and meaning they approach the event with a more positive frame of mind.
4. Promote flexibility
There is a growing expectation of 21st century employees to have work patterns that better suit a work-life balance. This could be flexible hours, or a hybrid system of sharing working from home with working in the office. Such a system develops trust and loyalty and generally means employees are in a stronger place mentally, which of course has multiple benefits. It is important that such an approach is offered with fairness and inclusivity in mind, enabling all employees the same opportunities and avoiding favouritism. This also applies to other workplace benefits, such as salary sacrifice schemes or private healthcare benefits. If these generate exclusivity because they are not available to everyone, then this could have a negative impact.
5. Don’t let issues fester
It is important that you nip any signs of division or negativity in the bud quickly, and address the root cause of any issues or concerns. You should redirect an employee’s focus towards team objectives as soon as you can, and this will avoid issues escalating and getting out of hand. Again, this links to open communications and avoiding private conversations going on which can have a negative impact.
6. Provide a clear pathway towards personal growth
While a positive work environment is very much about creating a ‘team’, an important part of that is rewarding individuals and offering them a pathway to personal growth and development. You should offer people training opportunities to extend their skills and knowledge, and ultimately their position within the business. This avoids stagnation and gets the best out of people. It also shows people they are valued and have a future with the business, which generates commitment and a stronger alignment with the values and goals of the business.
Ultimately, job satisfaction will benefit employee retention, which has myriad benefits in terms of productivity, but also making recruitment easier and improving the reputation of the business as a healthy and progressive employer. If you need help with any HR management issues, we have a team of skilled and experienced HR professionals at Ison Harrison. We can assist with in-house employment law and HR practices to help your business with compliance and management issues, and ultimately in creating a progressive and successful business, so contact our team today.
