Are you Guilty of a Negative Workplace Mentality?

23 Jan Are you Guilty of a Negative Workplace Mentality?

“Yayyy! I got a job!” Most persons share these sentiments after that most anticipated phone call, post interview.

Feelings of happiness, jubilation and excitement rush through your veins, as you share your good news with friends and family members. Most times, through quiet reflection, you think about all the changes you would like to see, or how you can see yourself performing effectively. But then, you start working, you settle into the organisation, and its culture, and eventually become complacent, nonchalant, despondent, or even delinquent – when you realise that the company isn’t perfect.

Now that I am at the start of my career, the thought of being employed for more than one to two years scares me, since I get bored pretty easily. It’s like being in school permanently. It’s just that teachers are replaced by a boss (some of us take the entrepreneurship route, and become our own principal). We look forward to good grades – in the form of a salary – and the occasional field trip. No wait…I mean workshop or seminar in a fancy hotel.

Sometimes I sit and observe employees’, and even my own, negative behaviour in the workplace, and these are some things that I have observed along the way. Tell me if these scenarios sound familiar to you.

1. “I hate my job”

General work ethic varies between the academic and the labour force, but regardless of what type of job you hold, you’ll find these different types of employees

There are those who work wholeheartedly for personal reasons. Their families depend on it. Some are seeking experience. Some are the overachievers who just have to stay ahead of the game.

Some just love their job, while others work just for the money, and complain on a daily basis about their job, and the quality of life they can (or can’t) afford. They give substandard work, have a poor attitude, hate their jobs, and they have no qualms about showing it.

I call this the “I hate my job complex”. My opinion is that very job is paying the bills à ce moment (at this moment), so suck it up and do your best until better can be done because the day you lose said job…Well, I hope you have a plan B.

2. Say no to Support

I find it quite fascinating how we all work within the same organisation, yet some of us don’t support each other.

A co-worker may have a brilliant idea. You may have even thought of something similar, yet you will find every reason possible to discredit or refute the idea, simply because it was not your idea, or because he or she should not have thought of something so brilliant.

What about if you have been struggling with something and then, “Eureka!”, you figured out an easier way to get the job done, yet you would not share it with anyone. You may think, “Nah! Let them figure it out themselves! I eh showin’ nobody nuttin!”

What a classic case of ‘bad mind’. Yeah, sometimes you really don’t want to put your ideas out there, and let someone else get the glory. But can’t you find a way to show support, share ideas, and still get glory? Of course, if you want to ‘play humble’, there’s a way to subtly ensure you get your due recognition.

Then, there is what I call…

3. The Blame Game 

The division between management and subordinate staff also amuses me.

Management says: “It is not us. They are lazy imbeciles!”

Meanwhile, staff members say: “It is not us. They have the problem. They are incompetent fools”.

My re-enactment of this scene is mild, because we all know that when people start to ‘throw talk’ in the office, harsher words are spoken. No one – management or subordinates – reflects on what transpired, and says, “We have a problem, and maybe I’m a part of it”. No one wants to accept their shortcomings, or is even willing to communicate effectively among departments, trash out disagreements, share opinions and come up with solutions.

The need to be defensive is so strong that I think it probably stemmed from slavery days, when the division was between slaves and their masters, and speaking your mind would have gotten you shot, or tortured.

4. Service to the people

Bad customer service experiences at local cosmetic stores or certain government offices have become the norm, yet we expect great service in healthcare and high-end stores. What makes one business different from the other? Aren’t we all living within the same society, and are of service to each other?

We expect good service, but how many of us give it, whether our customer is the average man on the street, or a fellow co-worker. For some reason, the act of “serving” is seemingly frowned upon. Somehow, we forget the golden rule – “Do unto others are you would them do unto you”.

From my experiences, treat people like royalty, make them feel important, and they will be customers for life – whether your business or organisation depends on it or not.

5. Outside wid productivity

I have seen people go through flood waters (literally) to ensure their vehicles were safe. I’ve seen people change into gym clothes before or during work hours to ensure they burn their set quota of calories. That is discipline and determination!

So why don’t we always show it when it comes to our jobs?

This is where employees can be judgemental at times. It is easy to talk about what management needs to do. Yes, management has the power to improve or hinder productivity levels, and, at times, they may be hindering production unbeknownst to them.

Yes, you might have a grouse with managers, but respect their position anyway, and push yourself. You mightn’t get a raise for being more productive, but you can definitely learn something along the way that can help you impress a panel at an interview. Yeah, that same interview you want to get, so you can get a better paying and more fulfilling job.

Truth is, many of us need an attitude adjustment to survive in the workplace. Preconceived notions of who is supposed to be doing what, and who is better than whom need to be adjusted. Sometimes these little things are just distractions and hindrances to your own productivity levels, and ability to achieve your potential. You mightn’t love your job, or your company, and, yes, sometimes management will make you want to scream. However, we could all have sunshiny days, with the right mix of motivation, initiative, communication, and positive work relations. Your mentality at work depends on you.