It is often said that a good attitude is more valuable than skills or experience when it comes to finding great employees. And when it comes to employee satisfaction and engagement, having positivity in the working environment is absolutely crucial. An article in Inc. provided five sure-fire tools for achieving a positive attitude got us thinking. After reading this we wondered how this could apply to the workplace, to make sure that we are creating an environment where employees can embrace positivity. Here are our ideas:

  1. Start your day on a positive note- What can you do to start your employees’ work day on a positive note? Maybe it’s a team huddle celebrating recent accomplishments. Maybe its sharing an inspirational quote, a feel-good news story or a funny video to get everyone in a good mood to start the day. Find out what works best for your team.
  2. Surround yourself with positive thoughts– Speaking of inspirational quotes, what meaningful words could you put in in your office, your employee’s workspace, the break room, etc.?
  3. Limit your exposure to pessimists- This one can be difficult in the workplace, but it comes down to hiring for cultural fit and removing toxic employees as quickly as possible. Everyone has bad days, but when an employee is constantly bringing down the whole team with their negativity, something needs to change. If you can remove them, limit their reach and spread as much as possible. Don’t feed into their negativity.
  4. Welcome your mistakes- Learn from your mistakes and the mistakes of your team. Work to create an environment where failure is not a negative thing, but instead a learning opportunity. It is has been said that Thomas Edison learn 3,000 ways not to make a light bulb before he created the first working incandescent lamp. Imagine if he gave up after the first 1,000.
  5. Adopt a positive vocabulary– The Inc. article states that “neuroscience has proved that the words you use to describe an experience programs the way your brain remembers and interprets that experience.” So adjust your vocabulary and encourage managers and employees to do the same. Avoid negative phrases and focus on positive phrases. Focus on things you can control and don’t dwell on the things that you can’t. Avoid bringing personal problems into work and encourage your employees to do the same. Always try to respond to questions like “how are you?” with positive words.

You have the power to control your attitude. And while you cannot control the attitudes of your employees, you can create an environment that breeds positivity. Make it a part of your company culture.