An optimistic workplace is crucial to the success of any organization. If its employees feel happy, committed and motivated, a company is more likely to enjoy low levels of staff turnover, absenteeism and burnout and high levels of productivity, customer satisfaction and even profitability. Quite apart from any commercial benefits, working in an optimistic environment makes people feel good about themselves, which has a positive impact on all aspects of their life. In this section, we will examine the factors that contribute to an optimistic workplace and what we can all do, regardless of our job title, to spread optimism in our working lives.
In 2003, Towers Perrin, a human resources consulting firm, published the results of a study to analyze employees’ feelings about their work. As well as finding a correlation between a happy workforce and a healthy balance sheet (and a dissatisfied workforce and poor financial performance), this study identified the three main elements of a positive work experience. Firstly, a company should cultivate its employees’ self-worth, by creating an environment in which they feel confident, competent and in control of their work. Secondly, employees need to see how their efforts contribute to the success of the company. Finally, they need to feel appropriately recognized and rewarded for their labours.
Although every single employee can affect the mood of the workplace, it is the leader of the organization who has the greatest influence. Honest, respectful, hardworking and solution-oriented leadership helps to create a positive, meaningful workplace. Positive leaders are visionaries who ensure that employees have a personal stake in the mission of the organization. Allowing employees to have a say in the organization’s mission statement gives them a feeling of control and of working toward specific, identifiable goals.
If a company demonstrates commitment to its employees, they will tend to reciprocate. There are many ways in which an employer can show how highly it values its staff, including instituting reasonable and flexible working hours, wellness programs and subsidized social events. Even something as simple as freshening up the physical workplace by rearranging furniture or redecorating, and ensuring that the work areas are safe and comfortable, conveys the message that the employer cares about the conditions in which its employees work.
Regardless of your employer’s philosophy, you have the power to breed optimism in your workplace by being an attitude role model. Smile, greet people in a friendly tone of voice and treat everyone with respect at all times. Be a good listener and don’t interrupt – this will show people that you value what they have to say and will make them likely to listen to you when it’s your turn.
Make positive connections with your co-workers by taking time to celebrate happy events, such as birthdays, anniversaries and graduations. Show solidarity with people who are having a stressful time (see p.145), perhaps by taking them out for lunch or a coffee, bringing them a plant for their office or sharing a funny story. Express your appreciation when someone helps you, and praise co-workers for a job well done. Building a strong team spirit enables groups of co-workers to empathize with and support each other, which is particularly valuable when the pressure is on.
In contrast, working in a negative environment is demoralizing and alienating. Various factors may make people feel unhappy in their job, such as an unmanageable (or unchallenging) workload, unclear direction from senior management and a lack of job security or satisfaction. Rampant negativity allowed to run unchecked through an organization creates a fertile breeding ground for employee burnout. Burnout is a state of physical and emotional exhaustion, the early symptoms of which may include cynicism, emotional withdrawal, lack of confidence and irritability. In a positive workplace, someone would be likely to identify these symptoms in a co-worker (because they would be so unusual) and would probably intervene. However, in a negative workplace, the signs of burnout are hard to distinguish from the prevailing mood and so may be left to develop into anxiety or depression.
If you find yourself working with a negative person, it is up to you to take action before their influence spreads. Negative people often do not realize that they are being negative, so the first thing you need to do is let them know what effect their attitude is having on other people. Confront them with honest, objective feedback, giving specific examples. For instance, if the person complains that a team project they have been working on is futile and poorly executed, point out how demoralizing it is for the other members of the team to hear this.
Complaining, although on the surface a negative pursuit, can be a positive force if it leads to solutions. When people complain, ask them how the situation can be improved and then involve them in implementing the change. Ask them for specific details to understand their problem and so to find a way to solve it. Taking a simple example, if someone complains that the area around their desk is too noisy, ask them which specific kinds of noise they find disturbing and invite them to suggest a way of reducing the noise.
It should be noted that a workplace can be optimistic and still find room for defensive pessimism (see p.51–2). Indeed, a company in which everyone were optimistic all the time would be destined for bankruptcy. The ability to see and plan for the worst-case scenario is an essential element in determining the success of every organization.
Like any other group of people, a workforce is a collection of diverse individuals, each with their own particular talents. In an optimistic workplace, these talents are recognized, cherished and nurtured for the benefit of both the individual and the company.