Bad attitudes can come in many forms: disrespect for authority, lack of teamwork, bad work ethic, poor customer service, etc. Whether it was the work-shy teenage coworker at our first job or the cranky, bitter manager at some later stage in our professional careers, most of us have worked with an employee with a bad attitude.
Source: laflor / iStock / Getty
That’s challenging enough when these bad actors are our coworkers; it becomes more so when they’re employees we need to manage. But, just because an employee has a bad attitude doesn’t mean he or she is a lost cause. Here are some tips and strategies for changing employee attitudes.
Be Direct
In an article for Inc., Alison Green tells us that managers have a tendency to feel that employee issues related to attitude can’t be addressed as directly as issues related more directly to performance.
Her recommendation: Frame the attitude issue in performance language. “What you’re doing is ___, and what I need is ___.” Just make sure, she writes, “that you’re specific about what she’s doing that needs to change (as opposed to just labeling it a ‘bad attitude’).”
Be Positive, When Appropriate
While it’s important to be direct when addressing an employee’s negative behavior, it’s also key to provide positive reinforcement when it’s appropriate. After all, the manager’s goal should be helping the employee adopt appropriate behaviors that will lead to better performance and output. It’s course correction, not character assassination!
Consequently, in addition to identifying and addressing negative attitudes or behaviors, make sure to also encourage the employees to keep doing and improving upon the positive things they’re doing.
Remove Barriers and Give Space for Self-Improvement
As Kristi Hedges writes for Forbes, “No one can force another person to change—it has to be voluntary. A manager can, however, greatly help the employee see the path for change.” Employers, and their managers and supervisors, shouldn’t, therefore, attempt to micromanage to force change. Instead, they should help empower employees to make positive changes themselves.
Tools and technology, can help. As Hedges suggests, employees who are challenged to stay organized might benefit from tools to help manage their calendars and to-do lists. “This approach works much better than assuming that the issue is simply a matter of motivation,” she says.
Dealing with bad attitudes and bad actors can be challenging and personally frustrating for managers. It’s an issue that can’t be avoided or delayed, though. By taking the steps outlined here, managers can effectively change employee attitudes and get them moving in the right direction.