What’s the Impact of Negativity on your Professionals?
Did you read the paper yesterday? Another survey telling us Americans are not satisfied with their job. The report states that America’s job satisfaction has dropped to an all time low of 45.3%. Over 50% of those with jobs are not satisfied, even in this economy with record unemployment. The report goes on to give reasons such as only 51% of Americans find their jobs interesting, to the toil the recession has had, to the fact that wages have not kept up with inflation, to the rising cost of health care, etc. I can see these correlations but I have my own theory.
I believe the main reason that most Americans are not satisfied with their jobs is the lack of progress they perceive in their positions. Couple this with all the negative things we hear and read each day and it is no wonder that American’s are not satisfied in their jobs.
Like it or not the work place is the extended family of an individual. As a business leader, manager, or team leader, we must be taking every opportunity to demonstrate and acknowledge the progress by individuals and teams in the organization. Discussing how these contributions positively impact the overall business in achieving its corporate goals. Otherwise, our professionals feel like they are constantly swimming upstream or worse they draw the conclusion that their role is insignificant. How motivated and satisfied would you be if you felt you were not achieving anything or if what you were doing was insignificant and not related to the success of the business?
I realize that everything is not positive in our organizations; even so, we must point out the lessons learned from those experiences that can be leveraged in the future. Otherwise we will foster an organization that is fearful to try new things.
It is my theory that we have to recognize three basic needs of our professionals if we want to have any chance of thwarting the impact of the flood of negativity that is broadcast over the airwaves and in the papers on the morale of our professionals.
- First and foremost employees want to feel like they are making progress;
- Second, they want to believe their progress is making a positive difference; and
- Finally, if someone acknowledges this fact that makes it even better.
Professionals with healthy positive attitudes tend to be much more productive.
by: Terry L. Massey