1. Home
  2. Business & Finance
  3. Human Resources

Negativity: Workplace Culture of Negativity

From the interest in the topic, workplace negativity is pervasive in many workplace cultures. Workplace negativity is most easily stopped before negativity becomes all-encompassing. But, you can minimize workplace negativity, even once a negative culture exists. These resources will help reduce workplace negativity. Learn more about how to address a coworker’s persistent negativity, too.
Tips for Minimizing Workplace Negativity
Nothing affects employee morale more insidiously than persistent workplace negativity. It saps the energy of your organization and diverts critical attention from work and performance. Find out how to minimize negativity before it starts.
Cures for Negativity
Your workplace is seething with negativity and hostility. No matter where the bad vibes came from, it's your reponsibility, to help make the atmosphere less negative and more positive, productive, stress-free and supportive.
The Five Causes of Employee Negativity
The typical workplace has its ups and downs in terms of employee negativity. Many workplaces are trying to be employee oriented. But, even the most employee oriented workplace can shudder under the weight of negative thinking. When employers understand the causes of employee negativity and put in place measures to prevent employee negativity, negativity fails to gain a foothold in the work environment. Learn the five key causes of employee negativity.
Is a Poisonous Attitude a Reason to Fire an Employee?
"An employee with a tremendous amount of knowledge is tremendously bitter and angry all the time. She is very good at her job. She also believes everyone else is incompetent at theirs. This person used to have a leadership position..."
How to Deal With a Negative Coworker: Negativity Matters
Some people exude negativity. They don’t like their jobs or they don’t like their company. Their bosses are always jerks and they are always treated unfairly. The company is always going down the tube and customers are worthless. You know these negative Neds and Nellies – every organization has some – and you can best address their impact on you via avoidance.
Top Ten Employee Complaints
Are you interested in discovering your employees’ most serious complaints? Knowing what makes employees unhappy is half the battle when you think about employee work satisfaction, motivation and retention. Listen to employees and provide opportunities for them to communicate with company managers. If employees feel safe they will tell you what’s on their minds. Your work culture must foster trust.
How to Hold a Difficult Conversation
If you manage people, work in Human Resources, or care about your friends at work, chances are good that one day you will need to hold a difficult conversation. As an example, people dress inappropriately and unprofessionally for work; personal hygiene is sometimes unacceptable. These steps will help you hold difficult conversations when people need professional feedback.
How to Manage Gossip
These leadership and management tips will help you create effective interpersonal relationships. This leadership and management tip about interpersonal relationships will speed up your progress and profitability.
How to Address Employee Hygiene and Annoying Habits
Have you ever worked along side an employee who had poor personal hygiene, foul smelling clothes or breath, or an annoying personal habit like making clicking noises? Or worse, the employee drinks heavily in the evening and then exudes the smell of alcohol, often mixed with the equally fetid smell of coffee and cigarettes all day at work? Integrate these new tips about holding difficult conversations into your approach to employee challenges.
Overcome Your Fear of Confrontation and Necessary Conflict
Meaningful confrontation is never easy but conflict is often necessary if you want to stick up for your rights at work. Whether the confrontation is over shared credit, irritating coworker habits and approaches, or to keep a project on track, sometimes you need to hold a confrontation with a coworker. The good news is that while confrontation is almost never your first choice, you can become better and more comfortable with necessary conflict.
Poll: What Makes You Miserable at Work?
Are you miserable at work? Do you never feel good about getting up and heading to work on Monday? Do you feel unchallenged, unhappy, or not in control? Is your boss the worst? Do your coworkers engage in unjustifiable complaining all day long? Is no contribution ever good enough? Share your thoughts.
Bad to the Bone: Dealing With a Bad Boss or Bad Managers
You're weary. You're frustrated. You're unhappy. You're demotivated. Your interaction with your boss leaves you cold. He's a bully, intrusive, controlling, picky and petty. He takes credit for your work, never provides positive feedback and misses each meeting he schedules with you. He's a bad boss, bad to the bone. Dealing with less than effective managers, or just plain bad managers and bad bosses, is a challenge too many employees face. These ideas will help you deal with your bad boss.
Rise Above the Fray: Options for Dealing With Difficult People at Work
Difficult people do exist at work. Difficult people come in every variety and no workplace is without them. How difficult a person is for you to deal with depends on your self-esteem, your self-confidence and your professional courage. Dealing with difficult people is easier when the person is just generally obnoxious or when the behavior affects more than one person. Dealing with difficult people is much tougher when they are attacking you or undermining your professional contribution.
Explore Human Resources
About.com Special Features

Start your new business on the right foot with these helpful tips. More >

Easy steps to take control of your credit card debt. More >

  1. Home
  2. Business & Finance
  3. Human Resources
  4. Bad Boss / Difficult People
  5. Negativity

©2009 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.