by Mieder van Loggerenberg
The majority of today’s workforce spend one-third of their adult life at work and the conditions at work and the work environment can have either a positive or adverse effect on our lives. Under the right circumstances it can provide an income, the material necessities of life and have a positive impact on our social, psychological, and physical health and well-being. A positive work environment is also a crucial prerequisite for productivity and are of utmost importance for overall socio-economic and sustainable development.
Thus, how do we create a positive work environment? A positive work environment is not only based on the psychological, physiological, and environmental well-being of employees but also on job satisfaction. Job satisfaction is an indicator of how employees feel about their job and predict how we behave at work, absenteeism, punctuality, morale, turnover, and termination. In general people assume that high morale can lead to job satisfaction, but it is just a by-product of a group and how they interact, whereas job satisfaction is more an individual state of mind. According to D.M. Pestonjee, a positive attitude towards your job is equivalent to job satisfaction so inadvertently a healthy working environment depends on whether employees have a positive attitude and visa-versa.
Our attitudes refer to our opinions, beliefs, and feelings about our work environment. An employee’s attitude can be formed by the organization, or it can also be a product of their upbringing, including the way they think and perceive the world through conditioning from peers, parents, teachers, and other adults. Since attitudes are largely formed through habits, opinions, and values, employees often experience differences between what they feel is right and what coworkers do or say, management dictates and what the organization requires.
Nonetheless, having a positive attitude in the workplace will not necessarily make you a better employee, but it will improve the way people see you as a person and be more inclined to help you or develop a good rapport with coworkers and management. Maintaining a positive attitude can be beneficial not only for your professional life but also your personal life. It creates a positive environment, encourages better communication among employees which in turn improves better decision-making, reduces stress, increases productivity, motivates others, and demonstrates leadership capabilities and increases your chances of promotion.
Now that we have established the importance of having a positive attitude the question is how can we develop and maintain it? The most common but most destructive factors that instill a negative attitude at work are gossiping and complaining; always avoid falling into the trap of talking bad about others and complaining about work and other people. It is just as counterproductive, and you should be more conscious of when and why you complain. It is important to use positive words rather than criticizing and most importantly be friendly, courteous, and put others needs before your own. Once you have mastered these basic principles of developing a positive attitude you can maintain your positivity by getting enough rest and taking breaks when needed. This can greatly reduce potential stress and negativity. It is also important to always practice gratitude by focusing on the good in both your work and personal life. Finally, surround yourself with positive people, this will help you maintain a positive mindset.
Furthermore, from a management point of view it is important to assess whether the employee’s poor performance reflects an attitude problem or are there other factors at play like job satisfaction, an inability to do the work, do they require additional training, issues with coworkers or perhaps even personal problems. It is important for management to address employees with care and not automatically assume that employees’ attitudes are the cause of poor work performance.
In conclusion, our attitudes can have a major impact on all aspects of work. As we spend a big portion of our lives at work, learning to adapt a positive attitude can ensure not only success at work but longevity, productivity, and most importantly job satisfaction. As the great Winston Churchill once said, “Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.”
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