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Pessimism is somewhat contagious in workplaces. It starts with one employee who passes it to the others without even intending to do so. As a manager, you will need to deal with pessimism and demotivation cases. However, if you sit watching the situations without taking any actions, it could turn into a disaster. Pessimism will rapidly move from one employee to the other and start affecting the work environment.
Here are some ways to handle this situation effectively:
- Do not catch the virus! Just act normal and listen to your employees without bothering them with the ideal optimism.
- Pessimistic employees will tend to behave negatively and cause some problems sometimes. Don’t let them drag you into an argument. Stay relaxed and just try to agree with them on some points in order to maintain their calmness.
- Set rules regarding negative behaviors in the workplace. Try to make these rules strict, even when employees do not agree with such policies. You must discipline them if they refuse to abide by the rules of the office.
- Try to find out more about the reason behind this particular employee’s pessimism. Ask them questions and make them talk about it.
- Try to switch roles. In other words, ask the employee to put himself in your place and let him suggest a solution for the problem. This will help you know what’s going on in the employee’s mind and find effective solutions. It will also make the employee feel better since he/she came up with the solution.
- Be the good listener. Listen to the employee and make sure you understand him/her very well.
- When you notice pessimism at any of your employees, don’t misjudge it with poor performance. Expect them to get back to their great productivity.
- DO not hesitate to ask your employees about their opinions and ideas regarding a decision you are trying to take, which affects them, whether directly or indirectly. When they see that you are listening to them, they will no longer complain and will feel appreciated and respected.
- It is very important to be able to identify pessimists before you hire them. When interviewing a potential employee, try to spot the negative vibes in the answers for the questions that involve feelings. You will notice the pessimism when they start to complain about the way they were treated unfairly in previous jobs…
