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Why Having a Positive, Pro-Work Attitude Is Important in the Workplace - Guest article by Dafina Zymeri

Why having a positive, pro-work attitude is important in the workplace and how an anti-work attitude will get you fired…

The title is pretty self-explanatory. You need to wake up on the right side of the bed and go to work because you want to, because it rewards you with financial stability, because it gives you the means to develop yourself, and because it contributes to your wellbeing. I assure you your day will pass faster and you will be much more productive if you just have these in mind. We spend 8+ hours of our day there, so going to work shouldn’t be a hassle.

The role of motivation in the workplace

The neuroscience of motivation in the workplace has actually been studied by psychologists, sociologists, economists, organizational development experts, believe it or not, and that shows us its importance even more. They define it as

‘the willingness to exert high levels of effort toward organizational goals conditioned by the effort’s ability to satisfy some individual needs.’

Motivated employees benefit the company, after all. This study also found that motivated workers improve its productivity and competitive advantage. Moreover, they are more highly engaged, are better problem solvers, and are more innovative, creative, and customer-focused. Organizations that have highly motivated workforces, apart from being more profitable, also have higher levels of customer satisfaction and employee retention.

Intrinsic motivation

The kind of motivation that is crucial if you want to have a healthy work experience is intrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation is a person’s desire to complete activities for their own benefit, rather than for a reward or to avoid a less-than-positive outcome, which would be extrinsic motivation.

Intrinsic motivation typically causes people to take action without needing external encouragement or influence. In contrast with extrinsic motivators that have a short-term impact, intrinsic motivators tend to produce a more lasting impact.

A positive attitude can get you the job

In another study on Mastering Soft Skills for Workplace Success, high importance is given to the attitude of a candidate when being interviewed by recruiters. If two candidates are equally experienced for a position, what will make the difference will be the attitude. A candidate who demonstrates a positive attitude and eagerness to get the job will be chosen over one who displays a disinterested or negative attitude. Turns out, many employers would rather provide job skills training to an enthusiastic but inexperienced worker than hire someone with perfect qualifications but a less-than-positive attitude.

I, myself, was once hired in a position they required 3 year minimum of experience (me having had none). Why? Because I performed well on the interview. How? Well, for one, I was very enthusiastic about it and they seemed to have liked that. I was told by a colleague afterward that, after I’d left, the recruiter who interviewed me said:

‘She’s the most positive person I’ve ever interviewed!’

True story.

…and then a promotion

I think I emphasized enough how of an important trait is a positive attitude is an important trait in the workplace. It can even make a difference when it comes to potential promotions. Employers choose to promote employees who not only produce but also motivate others in the workplace.

An anti-work attitude will get you fired

Or you’ll eventually resign yourself.

Managers worry that this type of employee who lacks positive attitude and motivation will not get along with supervisors and co-workers, will treat customers disrespectfully, and not put much effort into their work. And if proven right, you know what happens next…

On the other hand, employees who are enthusiastic and motivated are known to provide good customer service, resolve interpersonal conflict effectively, and work productively with others. You can be a perfect worker on paper by having a great resume and enough experience, but if you have a negative attitude towards everything and everyone around you, you will have problems.

I found this great example of an experienced business development executive who couldn’t last a job for more than a year. Turns out she complained a lot and couldn’t get along with the team anywhere she worked. Though her resume helped her get many job screenings, she failed to last in any job simply because she would let her negativity overpower her. To be honest, the managers can’t be blamed for finding her temperament unsuitable for the work culture.

Therefore, having a positive, pro-work attitude is a highly important soft skill that is often neglected. However, managers do notice an anti-work attitude, so it can get you in big trouble. As mentioned, motivated employees outperform unmotivated peers in many ways such as productivity, innovation, creativity, customer service, engagement, and eventually retention.

At the end of the day, it’s all up to you. You can decide to live a positive life, and it will shine out at home AND at work. Besides, having a negative attitude is not making you happy, anyhow, so why have it?

 

Dafina Zymeri is passionate about reading, writing, and self-development. She aims to make a difference with her writing and does it by intertwining her passions into helping mothers return to the workforce. She writes for SAHMJobs.com, which is a job portal designed to bring together stay at home moms and recruiters

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