No one enjoys working with a coworker with a poor attitude. Oftentimes, these employees are the first to be let go, with managers fearing that their demeanor may infect the rest of the team.
However, sometimes these less-than-positive employees have insights that can dramatically improve your business.Their anger may come from legitimate grievances that, if addressed, could lead to greater productivity in the workplace. As a leader and corporate advisor, I’ve seen numerous examples of successful turnarounds borne of employee frustration.
Is there a disgruntled employee in your office? Then you have a rewarding challenge ahead. When dealing with this kind of worker, ask yourself:
Are they angry because their job involves tedious or inefficient work?
Everyone dislikes certain parts of their job, but sometimes the minutia of a task can overwhelm a person. A team member can become frustrated and disengaged because she has to put more hours into a status update for her boss than actually making progress on a project. If your employees constantly have to divert their efforts into tedious work, the entire’s team productivity and morale may suffer.
Remember, billionaire Mark Cuban was once a frustrated tech company employee who got fed up with poor work policies and went out on his own. Today, he runs an empire of successful businesses. Don’t underestimate the importance of fixing this problem, or you may never know the real talent that exists within your team.
Are they angry because their goals are unclear or unreasonable?
It is impossible to keep a good attitude when you’re chasing a series of ever-shifting goals, or lacking the right information to achieve them. Employees often rally together only to be impeded by endless trips to supervisors for approval, or being forced to iron out every detail before they’re allowed to act. This just amplifies how long it takes to get things done. If there’s one credo I could offer to nearly every business, it’s that you’re not moving fast enough!
I once advised a large company whose employees were incredibly disengaged and had a high turnover rate. According to their CEO, productivity was down. But the junior-level employees themselves showed me the procedure and “red tape” they had to go through just to get anything done, and I was baffled. I told the CEO she needed to streamline and clarify things immediately. Otherwise, the future of the company was bleak.
Are they angry because they lack adequate incentives?
A common reason employees check out at the office is that they feel that their work is unimportant, or they don’t feel that they have an incentive to achieve more.
In most companies, money is the incentive. But it doesn’t solve the problem of a team member needing to feel valued.This is particularly true with Millennials, who are not swayed by the typical perks and benefits many companies use. Many younger employees want to see the good they are doing.
Read the rest of my article at Inc.com: http://ow.ly/5DaB30a7epj