Perhaps you scooped a job you applied for, for some time you tried your best to deliver to your best, meet deadlines and respect your bosses, among other things to prove to your supervisor that you’re the best fit for the position. However, a year later, for one reason or another, you changed, you're too lazy to perform tasks, you gossip and create a toxic work environment, arrive at work late, are arrogant, and take credit for others’ work, and so forth. Negative attitudes in the workplace are like viruses, this is because they’re contagious and can spread quickly, leaving damage. Employees with a poor attitude are not willing to work and improve themselves, and when their colleagues are in wrong, they exaggerate the situation, yet they wouldn’t want such a thing to happen to them. Dominic Rutayisire, the owner of a local cosmetics firm notes that a negative attitude such as disrespecting others can make the workplace an uncomfortable place, especially if some employees are bullies. He believes that to curb this, when the issue is at the maximum and the employees are not willing to reform, take the matter to the HR so that the bully is asked why they act that way. “Usually people who bully others were once bullied, and are using it as a means for them not to be bullied, getting to know why they act that way, can assist in finding a solution. If they don’t change, they must be fired from work for the good of others,” he states. Rutayisire explains that companies should put policies and standards that should be followed by the staff, which is why top bosses must be exemplary as well. He stresses that open communication should be allowed at work where employees can speak to their managers about each and everything, as that way, they can highlight unacceptable behaviors of their colleagues at work. He is of the view that if the staff is not given the freedom of speech and expression, they would lose it when they have no one to complain their issues to for solutions, and that way, work would be like prison. Rutayisire states that if you can avoid negative co-workers, do so, so that they don’t drain your mood, and energy. He further notes that companies should have a regular use of brief, anonymous surveys to understand changing staff attitudes. Gathering feedback to detect negative employee attitudes can be a very important feedback tool and can signal early warning signs before the situation worsens, however, employers should let staff know that their feedback was helpful and will be followed up to come to a quick fix, he adds. Experts say that if you have one-on-one conversations or informal discussions with the employee but in vain, it may be a behavioral issue. You can seek the assistance of certified behavioral experts and hold sessions to assist employees in changing their attitudes. Such programs will assist HR leaders in developing a system that will allow them to deal with employees who have a bad attitude at work. Research from Harvard Business Review (HBR) shows that all it takes to destroy a high-performing team is a single toxic team member. And in today’s workplace, where we depend on coworkers collaborating and working in teams, negative attitudes can be particularly corrosive.
