We are often hesitant to set standards for good work attitudes and discipline employees for having bad ones. Part of this hesitancy may be in our inability to talk about attitudes in clear and precise terms. Below is a standard of a good work attitude supervisors should strive to enforce and reinforce with all employees in the workplace.

Companies should incorporate this attitude standard into a general workplace policy, share it as part of overall performance expectations, and encourage supervisors to hold all employees accountable for their attitudes as a critical part of performance evaluations.

FRIENDLINESS

A warm smile, kind deeds, sensitivity to others, good humor and social pleasantries can all go a long way to make an enjoyable and productive work atmosphere for everyone. Frowns, coldness, anger, defensiveness, blaming, malicious gossip and over-seriousness can spread unnecessary tension that is disruptive. Sometimes it only takes one unfriendly, unlikable person to negatively affect the organization's morale and productivity. As the saying goes, one bad apple can spoil the whole barrel.

A noticeable friendly and easy going work environment makes life easier for everyone and contributes to the bottom line of the business in not so hidden ways. Friendliness is a free asset that should be cultivated as much as possible, whereas unfriendliness is a costly liability that shouldn't be tolerated to any degree with any employee. Supervisors are in the idea position to nip all such unfriendliness in the bud, before it escalates into something more destructive.

POSITIVISM

All organizations have to be based on positive values and actions. Growth and productivity of the organization have to be supported by the efforts of all employees and a positive attitude is always the beginning of those efforts. This is true for both product and service industries, where a positive, can-do attitude can help you move forward and also get you out of a lot of uncomfortable jams with employees and customers.

Negativity is too draining and contagious. Cynicism and pessimism by others can keep good employees from working productively and it certainly doesn't contribute to others' sense of job satisfaction. Negativity is so damaging that it has to be screened out in the employee selection process or disciplined when it slips through the net.

A positive attitude builds self-confidence, which in turn improves performance. Positive attitudes that are consistently and persistently modeled by supervisors and top management have a big effect on other employees, especially the neutral ones who are in the best position to pass it on to the few employees who tend toward negativity.




TEAMWORK

A critical component of successful work performance is teamwork. The team as a whole can always accomplish much more than any individual alone. We see the results of good teamwork in successful professional sports teams. Successful teamwork in the workplace requires employees to get along with each other, use all members' strengths productively, tolerate each other’s differences and work cooperatively to achieve the team's goals. This also means sharing the credit for jobs well done.

The key with good teamwork is to use all employees' strengths and avoid sacrificing valuable individual differences so that it is a win-win outcome for everyone. The most diverse workplaces can often inspire the best teamwork that results in big success for the organization. A great sense of satisfaction can come from a diverse team’s productivity.

ENTHUSIASM

Enthusiasm is simply showing others that you like what you are doing. When an employee is enthusiastic about his job, he doesn't complain about having to do certain things when asked talk bad about management behind their backs or act like it is a strain to come to work. The enthusiastic employee has fun at work, accomplishes a lot, and enjoys the day, which always seems to fly by. There are no absentee or disciplinary problems with an enthusiastic employee.

Enthusiastic employees also show motivation to improve their performance, learn more about the job and the organization, and hang in there when things get tough. Like positivism, enthusiasm is quite contagious. Supervisors are in a great position to encourage such motivation for other employees to learn from.

RESPONSIBILITY

Responsibility is best demonstrated by a mature work attitude. Such an attitude involves a willingness to grow and improve, to communicate with honesty and openness, respect for property and using one's talents to their fullest. A mature, responsible work attitude also includes perseverance, fulfilling promises, follow-up, going the extra mile and assuring a safe workplace.

Maturity and responsibility should never be confused with lack of playfulness. There is always a time and place for both and knowing when to do which is a definite sign of responsible maturity. The challenge for supervisors is to look for legitimate times and ways to turn work into play. Taking advantage of our natural competitive drive is one way.

PROFESSIONALISM

No matter what the job is—from being a security guard, janitor or assembly line worker—it deserves a professional attitude from the top down. A professional attitude involves a diligent, conscientious approach to doing what is necessary to help the organization demonstrate its values and accomplish its goals. There is no room for mediocrity, horseplay, gossiping, bullying, harassment, substance abuse, poor appearance, discrimination, or unsafe practices in any workplace.

Professional pride shows and is a great recruiting and sales tool for the company. Pride and professionalism are really different sides of the same coin. Pride is self-respect and professionalism is respect for others.

A funny thing happens when all employees practice the right work attitude. They all perform their jobs well, they enjoy doing these jobs, and the organization prospers.