work attitude essay

Essays About Attitude: Top 5 Examples Plus Prompts

Your attitude and demeanor affect all aspects of your life. We have found an inspiring list of essays about attitude to help you choose your own angle.

Attitude refers to a person’s way of thinking about something that affects their behavior. One can say that the proper attitude is vital to leading a fruitful life, whatever that might be for specific individuals. A “good” attitude and a positive outlook can better ascertain success, while a “bad” attitude predisposes a person to fail.

One’s attitude is founded upon knowledge, beliefs, and feelings and reflected in behavior. However, it is also shaped by your experiences.

If you want to write an essay about attitude, here are 5 essay examples and 5 prompts we have prepared to make the process easier for you. 

For help with your essays, check out our round-up of the best essay checkers .

1. Attitude changes everything – it can change your life by Kate Darbyshire Evans

2. 6 ways to banish negative thoughts by emily co, 3. our life is a reflection of our attitude. by iqra shehzadi, 4. watch your attitude: your students are counting on you by amber chandler, 5. how to develop a positive attitude in the workplace by jennifer post, 5 writing prompts on essays about attitude, 1. why is a good attitude so important, 2. how can you change your attitude for the better, 3. is a bad attitude really as detrimental as it is said to be, 4. how has your attitude affected your life, 5. does attitude reflect character.

“Attitude changes everything. Change your attitude, and you can change your life. You cannot always control what happens to you in life but you can always control how you respond to the challenges or difficult situations you encounter. The attitude you approach anything with is entirely your choice. The way you choose to respond mirrors your attitude and so by changing your attitude you can change your perspective and change your life.”

Evans talks about how genuinely present one’s attitude is in the different aspects of their life. It can, quite literally, “change your life.” Regardless of your challenges, Evans believes that a positive attitude can help you steady your course and maintain a good life. She also gives readers tips on developing a good attitude and a more positive outlook on life, including being more grateful, not taking life too seriously, and stepping out of your comfort zone. 

“It’s easy to become jaded when life gets tough, but don’t get caught up in negative thoughts because it may hinder your progress. Seeing the world as a glass half empty may lead you to give up easier and not try as hard because you may think that it’s pointless to even make an attempt.”  

In this short essay, Co lists down a few ways in which we can maintain a positive attitude by keeping negative thoughts out of our minds. These include keeping a gratitude journal, keeping good company, being around animals, and looking for new hobbies. Co believes these activities help promote positivity so that we are not as affected when life gets challenging. You might also be interested in these essays about discipline .

“Our mind has sufficient bandwidth to focus on one thought at a time. All you must do is keep it attentive on inspiring thoughts until you achieve your goal or establish a new habit. After adopting a positive attitude, I have noticed amazing changes all around. I also have noticed a major boost in my confidence and I feel more capable of taking on new projects and challenges which might have formerly been outside my comfort zone.”

Shehzadi reflects on the importance of a positive attitude. She briefly goes over its benefits, like increased confidence and reduced stress. To develop a better attitude, surround yourself with positive people. From there, you can practice kindness, patience, and tolerance. As our attitude reflects itself in how we live, a positive attitude leads to a more productive life. Training your mind to be positive is an excellent investment for your well-being, both mentally and physically. 

“It’s human nature to express ourselves, sure, but I think adults underestimate the impact our ‘attitudes’ have on our own children and students. As we deal with the new variants, head back to school and face another uncertain school year, our attitudes are going to shape the experiences of our students. Why not make a concerted, intentional effort to be the one place where your students can let their guard down and take a break from the attitudes that are everywhere?”

Chandler, an educator, discusses the importance of the right attitude in an environment with kids and the importance of setting a good example. She believes that an authentic, positive attitude helps students thrive, but she also stresses the importance of empathy. To her, the ideal attitude is positive, practical, humble, and empathetic. She wants adults to be more mindful of their attitude, especially in front of kids- they may have certain mannerisms or habits that children will quickly pick up on.

“Not everyone is going to be positive all the time. That’s an unrealistic idea. But even when people are down and at their most negative, there are things one can do to deal with those emotions and actions around the office to keep them from impacting others. Even if it’s just one co-worker causing an issue, take matters into your own hands for your own happiness at work.”

Post’s essay elaborates on the importance of having an attitude suited to your work. Like in Co’s essay, Post discusses certain things we can do to improve our attitude and make us more productive in the workplace. Most significantly, she says that simply saying “yes” more can help develop a better attitude. Even if we cannot always be positive, Post wants us to maximize the positivity in every situation, to look at it from a “glass half full” perspective.

Everyone talks about how the proper attitude helps you go far in life, but how does this work? In your essay, you can explore what makes attitude so vital. You can find examples where people have improved their attitude and attribute it to real-life benefits such as happiness or success. You can also check out these essays about character .

Many people often talk about fixing their attitude and getting out of bad habits. You can use the sample essays to decide which methods you can adopt to improve your attitude. Keep your selection short, simple, and meaningful. Do you think they could be successfully applied to anyone?

Would you say that a good attitude is as important as people say it is? And does a bad attitude indeed dictates one’s fortune or misfortune? Based on research and your own beliefs, decide on your position and provide evidence to support your argument.

Write about something as simple as the effects of your attitude on your life. How does your outlook on life affect you? Do you feel that your attitude is helping you live your life well? Do you think there is anything that you can change to optimize your daily life? Try and provide examples of when a different attitude may have produced a different outcome in a scenario.

Often people are told they have a bad attitude and are misjudged for it. However, is their attitude a true reflection of their character or simply masking a hidden agenda? Think of examples when people may be misjudged by their attitude, or perhaps their behavior was misconstrued, and discuss how difficult it is to remedy this after the event. There are numerous examples of this in literature that you can reference. If you cannot think of a real-life example pick one from an appropriate piece and discuss the character’s attitude, and others’ perceptions of them.

Tip: If writing an essay sounds like a lot of work, simplify it. Write a simple 5 paragraph essay instead.

Martin is an avid writer specializing in editing and proofreading. He also enjoys literary analysis and writing about food and travel.

View all posts

Attitude in the Workplace Essay

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

Introduction

Organizations are faced with a variety of problems which come from different angles, both internal and external. The most complex ones are however those that are associated with the human resource or workforce.

This is because these are the driving force towards the success of an organization, through their manipulation of other resources for instance the assets, to come up with a productive and profitable result. Success in any activity in an organization requires unity and cooperation among all the individuals involved, failure to which malfunction is almost automatic.

This piece of work gives an in-depth discussion of attitude, as an issue that affects progress in the workplace with much emphasis being given to how it impacts on individuals and an organization at large and how a solution could be implemented and its success evaluated.

A review and a brief description of the original problem selected by my Learning Team

There are various problems that are linked with workplaces and all the practices and activities undertaken therein. For the sake of this assignment, my team chose attitude in the workplace as the problem of discussion for which a plan to help solve the issue will be identified and implemented.

This is because this is a very prevalent problem in workplaces and it has led to fall down of most organizations. Attitude entails the way a given individual thinks or perceives various things or situations. It is a very influential aspect and it plays a great role in determining how things are undertaken. Various employees express different attitudes, some positive and others negative.

Under all circumstances, positive attitude among all the individuals involved in an organization should be advocated for and maintained since nothing can be successful where negative attitude prevail. There is usually a tendency of people to bring their home problems into the workplace thus affecting their ability to perform as expected, which should not be the case.

The encouraging thing is the fact that there are ways that have been established in an effort to change people’s attitudes through sensitizing them to be positive and optimistic in their undertakings so as to achieve success. This is however possible through effective decision making that entail critical thinking and effective plan and strategies (Shumake, 1992).

A plan to implement the identified solution

In every plan especially that involved with implementing a given solution to a problem, it is important to have an effective evaluation of the required resources, the resistance management plan and most importantly timeframe. Decision making and critical thinking was a key aspect in the determination of the plan that we would implement in order to curb the ordeal of negative attitude among members of the workforce.

It entails identification of the problem, definition of the aims and objectives, evaluating the impact of the problem, determining the causes of the problem, coming up with alternative solutions, evaluating the impacts of the alternatives, making the decision and implementing it.

The process is however not complete before its impact is measured to ascertain its progress and hence make necessary actions(Roth & Mullen, 2002). The best plan that we came up with is effective communication aimed at creating awareness on the aspect of attitude and the effects it has on both individual as well as organizational performance.

It will also encompass teaching on the importance of critical thinking as opposed to acting under personal feelings and prejudices. This will ensure that employees’ behavior and attitudes are in line with the organizational core values thus ensuring that the goals and objectives are achieved hence increasing productivity and profitability as a result of enhanced efficiency and effectiveness.

It will also ensure that attitudes and thoughts are evaluated in an objective manner without any form of biasness. Another aspect that we considered in the implementation plan was to identify and implement appropriate tools that allow for effective thinking and avoid negative attitude. This includes impacting them with critical thinking and problem solving skills (O’Rourke, 2008).

An evaluation of the success of the solution chosen above

In order to conclude that a given implemented solution has been successful or not, it is important that the progress is monitored or evaluated. There are various ways through which a decision’s effectiveness could be evaluated more especially through measuring the success or failure achieved after its implementation.

One of the ways is to measure the impact of the implemented solution against the organizational goals and objectives. A good solution should adequately match with the organization’s goals and objectives to avoid any form of conflict that would make the situation even worse. Communication is also another very critical concept that can be utilized in gauging the impact of a given decision for instance the actions taken towards eliminating the vice of negative attitude in the workplace.

Effective communication entails giving every involved member a chance to give ideas and opinions in regard to certain a particular decision. This allows for taking of the right measures in respect to any aspect as well as allowing for inner satisfaction which is brought about by people knowing they are well represented and their voices incorporated in an organization’s decision.

Another very significant step in the evaluation of the progress of a decision that was made is the observation of the trends in the organization. There should for example be positive movement of activities following positive change of attitudes among employees.

This could be seen in aspects like communication where the employees ought to communicate effectively, increased efficiency and effectiveness in carrying out activities and processes, enhanced customer service and treatment of fellow colleagues as well as the general change of attitude that can be seen in the way people treat each other. In our case the decisions taken was successful since positive changes were experienced, the final results being increased productivity and productivity (Paul & Elder, 2006).

It is evident that organizations are faced with a variety of problems including those that are linked with the employees. Attitude in the workplace is for example very influential in determining how various activities and practices are carried out, with negative attitude being a leading factor to individual failure as well as pull down of the performance of an organization as a whole. It is therefore advisable that negative attitude among employees is dealt with in an appropriate manner to avoid any negative performance.

Negative attitude among employees could be demonstrated by aspects such as impoliteness, unwillingness to share ideas and opinions, being anti-social, failure to adhere to stipulated rules and regulations, complains to the management and constant conflicts among others.

Dealing with negative attitude like any other organizational problem necessitates that effective decision making and critical thinking is done so as to appropriately deal with all the internal and external elements that are associated with workplace attitude.

Reference List

O’Rourke, J. (2008). Relationships, Managing Conflicts at Workplace. New York: Cengage Learning.

Paul, R., & Elder, L. (2006). Critical Thinking: Tools for Taking Charge of Your Learning and Your Life. Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Roth, M.B., & Mullen, D. J. (2002). Decision Making: Its Logic and Practice . Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield.

Shumake, G. (1992). Increasing Productivity And Profit In The Workplace: A Guide To Office Planning And Design. New York: Wiley-Interscience.

• Happiness vs. Production in the Workplace
• Moods, Emotions, Attitudes and Workplace Environment
• Problem Analysis of the Aspect of the Attitude Problems within the Organization
• Leadership Types: Transformational, Transactional and Charismatic
• Three Methods of Performance Appraisal in HR Management
• Contemporary Management
• Downsizing 10 per Cent of the Staff
• The Hawthorne Studies
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2018, June 6). Attitude in the Workplace. https://ivypanda.com/essays/attitude-in-workplace/

"Attitude in the Workplace." IvyPanda , 6 June 2018, ivypanda.com/essays/attitude-in-workplace/.

IvyPanda . (2018) 'Attitude in the Workplace'. 6 June.

IvyPanda . 2018. "Attitude in the Workplace." June 6, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/attitude-in-workplace/.

1. IvyPanda . "Attitude in the Workplace." June 6, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/attitude-in-workplace/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Attitude in the Workplace." June 6, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/attitude-in-workplace/.

• SUGGESTED TOPICS
• The Magazine
• Newsletters
• Managing Yourself
• Managing Teams
• Work-life Balance
• The Big Idea
• Data & Visuals
• Reading Lists
• Case Selections
• HBR Learning
• Topic Feeds
• Account Settings
• Email Preferences

How to Develop a Strong Work Ethic

• Tutti Taygerly

Hiring managers want to see your motivation, can-do attitude, and dedication.

In our early career years, it can be challenging to figure out what behaviors are and are not acceptable in different professional environments. Employers are now expecting more of entry-level workers and they want to see that you have good work ethic. So what is work ethic?

• Work ethic refers to a set of moral principles, values, and attitudes around how to act at work. It often surrounds what behaviors are commonly acceptable and appropriate (or not).
• Qualities like reliability, productivity, ownership and team support all demonstrate professional integrity, or a strong commitment to ethical behavior at work. In contrast, low-quality work, tardiness, or lack of attention to details demonstrates bad work ethic.
• If you’re new to the workplace, a good way to start is by observing. Pay attention to how your coworkers behave in meetings to gain a better understanding of their “etiquette,” as well as the communication styles of different people and teams. Another essential part of building good work ethic is adopting a “do it like you own it” attitude. You can do this by being proactive in small, but powerful, ways.

Where your work meets your life. See more from Ascend here .

Have you ever wondered about how to behave appropriately at work? Throughout your career, and especially in the early years, it’s challenging to figure out what behaviors and attitudes are and are not acceptable in different professional environments. The more you traverse companies and industries, the clearer your understanding will become. When you’re just starting out, though, it can be hard to pin down these behaviors.

• Tutti Taygerly is an executive coach and speaker with 20+ years of product design experience in Silicon Valley. Her book Make Space to Lead: Break Patterns to Find Flow and Focus on What Matters Most (Taygerly Labs, 2021) shows high achievers how to reframe their relationship to work.

Partner Center

Our Recommendations

• Best Small Business Loans for 2024
• Businessloans.com Review
• Biz2Credit Review
• SBG Funding Review
• Rapid Finance Review
• 26 Great Business Ideas for Entrepreneurs
• Startup Costs: How Much Cash Will You Need?
• How to Get a Bank Loan for Your Small Business
• Articles of Incorporation: What New Business Owners Should Know
• How to Choose the Best Legal Structure for Your Business

Small Business Resources

• Business Ideas
• Business Plans
• Startup Basics
• Startup Funding
• Franchising
• Success Stories
• Entrepreneurs
• The Best Credit Card Processors of 2024
• Clover Credit Card Processing Review
• Merchant One Review
• Stax Review
• How to Conduct a Market Analysis for Your Business
• Local Marketing Strategies for Success
• Tips for Hiring a Marketing Company
• Benefits of CRM Systems
• 10 Employee Recruitment Strategies for Success
• Sales & Marketing
• Social Media
• Best Business Phone Systems of 2024
• The Best PEOs of 2024
• RingCentral Review
• Nextiva Review
• Ooma Review
• Guide to Developing a Training Program for New Employees
• How Does 401(k) Matching Work for Employers?
• Why You Need to Create a Fantastic Workplace Culture
• 16 Cool Job Perks That Keep Employees Happy
• 7 Project Management Styles
• Women in Business
• Personal Growth
• Best Accounting Software and Invoice Generators of 2024
• Best Payroll Services for 2024
• Best POS Systems for 2024
• Best CRM Software of 2024
• Best Call Centers and Answering Services for Busineses for 2024
• Salesforce vs. HubSpot: Which CRM Is Right for Your Business?
• Rippling vs Gusto: An In-Depth Comparison
• RingCentral vs. Ooma Comparison
• Choosing a Business Phone System: A Buyer’s Guide
• Equipment Leasing: A Guide for Business Owners
• HR Solutions
• Financial Solutions
• Marketing Solutions
• Security Solutions
• Retail Solutions
• SMB Solutions

How to Develop a Positive Attitude in the Workplace

Your attitude at work can affect your career as well as your general outlook on life.

Table of Contents

Let’s face it: Work needs to be done. It doesn’t matter whether you are an employee or an entrepreneur; what separates you and others is how you approach your work. Having a positive attitude in the workplace can be one of the keys to getting your work done effectively and improving your overall work experience.

Embracing a positive outlook at work helps to create a collaborative and supportive culture that fosters productivity and personal growth. Positivity benefits not only you but also your employees, co-workers and customers. 

How to develop a positive attitude and mindset

Having a positive attitude can provide a crucial benefit for your workplace, but this helps only if you can develop the right kind of perspective. The stresses of work can make it difficult to sport the best possible mindset every day. Here are some strategies for how to develop a positive outlook.

Be encouraging and empathetic. 

Developing a positive attitude in the workplace can start with how you interact with your associates, regardless of their place in the hierarchy. Whether it’s celebrating the small victories or helping deal with a bad case of the Mondays, injecting optimism and encouragement into the workplace can benefit everyone.

Rachel Sheerin, a speaker on burnout and happiness, said positive people radiate a different energy. “Positive people show their positive attitude in their words, actions and feelings,” she said. “Positive people radiate differently, just by walking in a room with their energy — it changes the world and people around them.”

It’s important to not just develop a positive outlook but also to maintain it. It’s easy to be positive when things are going well, but sometimes, people will be going through tough times. Showing your employees, co-workers or clients empathy and respect demonstrates you care about their well-being. [Read related article: Best Careers for Empaths ]

“I encourage my clients and their teams to remember that everyone is trying their best,” Sheerin said. “No one wakes up in the morning wanting to screw up or do a bad job — so give some consideration and empathy to others.”

Be a team player.

Your workplace is full of people working toward a common goal; you’re all acting as a team, whether directly or indirectly. Talk with your employees and co-workers to see how you can assist them. Helping others lighten their load, within reason, can strengthen your team .

“You can show a positive attitude through the words you use,” said Deborah Sweeney, CEO of MyCorporation. “Become a ‘yes’ person, and try new things to see how you do. Give your time, and ask co-workers how you can help them out if you have a free moment. Volunteer to take the lead on new assignments. Be kind to everyone and genuine — do not gossip constantly or spread rumors.”

When you can do your job effectively and become a dependable team member, that trust you earn can improve your perspective and standing in the company. Security in your team and company provides you with more stability. 

Work with the right people. 

Surrounding yourself with positive people in your work life can dramatically improve your attitude. Negative people can increase your stress level and make you doubt your ability to maintain success at work. 

“If you find yourself surrounded by negative co-workers, see if you can switch cubicles or teams within the same department,” said Jessi Beyer, a speaker and personal development coach. “Make conscious decisions with your space and your time at work that will result in surrounding yourself with co-workers with positive attitudes.”

Both positivity and negativity can spread quickly throughout the company. “I am someone who will deliberately avoid spending time with people who have a bad attitude at work, or anywhere for that matter,” said Amy Finlay, co-founder of Edinburgh IFA. “As a positive attitude can be contagious, unfortunately, a negative attitude can also spread through people, and before you know it, your mindset can completely change with too much exposure to these types of people.”

Working with positive people will help you handle everyday stress in a more constructive way. 

Focus on what’s in your control.

Realistically, you cannot control every single aspect of your work. You can be the beacon of positivity, but some people at your job will still be negative. But while you can’t control how people behave, you can decide how you let it affect you. 

“No matter the positive or negative attitudes at work, it’s important to be mindful in the workplace,” said Lizzie Benton, a culture consultant at Liberty Mind. “Rather than letting yourself be consumed by a negative attitude, question why that person might be coming across in that way. Don’t take it personally, and do your best to build a barrier against negative comments or behaviors.”

Focusing on what you can control will help you manage the amount of stress you allow in your life. Your mission at work is to get your job done as effectively as possible, so focus on the factors you can oversee. 

Treat yourself positively. 

No matter what stress you are experiencing in your work or personal life, you should always remember to be your biggest supporter. Practice positive self-talk. Framing daily events in a more positive light will help limit negative thinking. One way to approach this is to not say anything to yourself that you wouldn’t say to anyone else. It’s important to be gentle and encouraging with yourself. 

If you start to think negatively, evaluate these ideas rationally. Replace defeatist thinking with affirmations of your strengths. Think about things you’re thankful for in your life, and reframe obstacles or roadblocks as opportunities for growth.

The importance of a positive attitude in the workplace

Whether it’s you or a co-worker who is going through a hard time, try to keep the negativity at bay.

“Misery may love company, but negativity has never lifted anyone up,” Sweeney said. “You feel better when you surround yourself with positive people. They encourage you to reach for the stars, work hard and stay focused on fulfilling your dreams. Positivity begets more positivity. Over time, you may find that even the most stubborn person in the office who refuses to enjoy something has a change of heart and changes to be more positive, all because you had such a great attitude.”

The presence of negativity in your company can be like dropping dye in a glass of water: You need only a few drops to change the whole look. Instead, try to make the work environment more conducive to positive attitudes and help diffuse the negativity.

Attitudes “either move the needle forward or keep it still,” Sweeney said. “A positive attitude keeps everyone trying new things, feeling brave about brainstorming new ideas, and makes people feel excited to go to work with their co-workers.”

Psychologists generally agree that our brains are hardwired to focus more energy on bad news. That tendency is exacerbated by instant news and videos of tragedies being uploaded seconds after they happen. But does that mean humanity is doomed to live in a cloud of negative energy? Most experts say no.

“The thought that you need 10 positive experiences to write over one negative one can definitely be true,” Beyer said. “One way to combat this is to approach the outcomes of negative situations with a learning mentality. Find one small takeaway from a situation, and your perception of that situation as negative will start to shrink.”

Maintaining a positive attitude takes work

Developing a strong positive attitude and mindset is a key to achieving success at work, but maintaining it isn’t always easy. To do so, you must not allow negative thoughts and energy to affect your daily progression.

By keeping your workforce in the right frame of mind, making your workplace as stress-free as possible and prioritizing the well-being of your workers, maintaining a positive attitude at work can be another challenge you conquer. 

Jennifer Post contributed to this article. Some source interviews were conducted for a previous version of this article.

Building Better Businesses

Insights on business strategy and culture, right to your inbox. Part of the business.com network.

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

2.5 Work Attitudes

Learning objectives.

• Define what work attitudes are.
• Define and differentiate between job satisfaction and organizational commitment.
• List several important factors influencing job satisfaction and organizational commitment.
• Identify two ways companies can track attitudes in the workplace.

How we behave at work often depends on how we feel about being there. Therefore, making sense of how people behave depends on understanding their work attitudes. An attitude refers to our opinions, beliefs, and feelings about aspects of our environment. We have attitudes toward the food we eat, people we meet, courses we take, and things we do. At work, two job attitudes have the greatest potential to influence how we behave. These are job satisfaction and organizational commitment.

Job satisfaction refers to the feelings people have toward their job. If the number of studies conducted on job satisfaction is an indicator, job satisfaction is probably the most important job attitude. Institutions such as Gallup or the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) periodically conduct studies of job satisfaction to track how satisfied employees are at work. According to a recent Gallup survey, 90% of the employees surveyed said that they were at least somewhat satisfied with their jobs. A recent SHRM study revealed 40% who were very satisfied 1 .

Organizational commitment is the emotional attachment people have toward the company they work for. A highly committed employee is one who accepts and believes in the company’s values, is willing to put out effort to meet the company’s goals, and has a strong desire to remain with the company. People who are committed to their company often refer to their company as “we” as opposed to “they” as in “in this company, we have great benefits.” The way we refer to the company indicates the type of attachment and identification we have with the company.

There is a high degree of overlap between job satisfaction and organizational commitment because things that make us happy with our job often make us more committed to the company as well. Companies believe that these attitudes are worth tracking because they often are associated with outcomes that are important to the Controlling role, such as performance, helping others, absenteeism, and turnover.

What Causes Positive Work Attitudes?

What makes you satisfied with your job and develop commitment to your company? Research shows that people pay attention to several factors of their work environment, including characteristics of the job (a function of Organizing activities), how they are treated (related to Leadership actions), the relationships they form with colleagues and managers (also Leadership related), and the level of stress the job entails.

As we have seen earlier in this chapter, personality and values play important roles in how employees feel about their jobs.

Figure 2.14 Factors Contributing to Job Satisfaction and Organizational Commitment

Job Characteristics

Employees tend to be more satisfied and committed in jobs that involve certain characteristics. The ability to use a variety of skills, having autonomy at work, receiving feedback on the job, and performing a significant task are some job characteristics that are related to satisfaction and commitment. However, the presence of these factors is not important for everyone. Some people have a high need for growth. These employees tend to be more satisfied when their jobs help them build new skills and improve (Loher, et. al., 1985; Mathieu & Zajac, 1990).

Organizational Justice and the Psychological Contract

A strong influence over our satisfaction level is how fairly we are treated. People pay attention to the fairness of company policies and procedures, fair and kind treatment from supervisors, and fairness of their pay and other rewards they receive from the company (Cohen-Charash & Spector, 2001; Colquitt, et. al., 2001; Meyer, et. al., 2002). Organizational justice can be classified into three categories: (1) procedural (fairness in the way policies and processes are carried out), (2) distributive (the allocation of resources or compensation and benefits), and (3) interactional (the degree to which people are treated with dignity and respect). At the root of organizational justice is trust, something that is easier to break than to repair if broken.

The psychological contract is the unspoken, informal understanding that an employee will contribute certain things to the organization (e.g., work ability and a willing attitude) and will receive certain things in return (e.g., reasonable pay and benefits). Under the psychological contract, an employee may believe that if he or she works hard and receives favorable performance evaluations, he or she will receive an annual bonus, periodic raises and promotions, and will not be laid off. Since the “downsizing” trend of the past 20 years, many commentators have declared that the psychological contract is violated more often than not.

Relationships at Work

Two strong predictors of our happiness at work and commitment to the company are our relationships with coworkers and managers. The people we interact with, how friendly they are, whether we are socially accepted in our work group, whether we are treated with respect by them are important to our happiness at work. Research also shows that our relationship with our manager, how considerate the manager is, and whether we build a trust-based relationship with our manager are critically important to our job satisfaction and organizational commitment (Bauer, et. al., 2007; Gerstner & Day, 1997; Judge, et. al., 2004; Kinicki, et. al., 2002; Mathieu & Zajac, 1990; Meyer, et. al., 1990; Rhoades & Eisenberger, 2002). When our manager and overall management listen to us, care about us, and value our opinions, we tend to feel good at work. When establishing effective relations with employees, little signals that you care about your employees go a long way. For example, in 2004 San Francisco’s Hotel Carlton was taken over and renovated by a new management group, Joie de Vivre Hospitality. One of the small things the new management did that created dramatic results was that, in response to an employee attitude survey, they replaced the old vacuum cleaners housekeepers were using and started replacing them every year. It did not cost the company much to replace old machinery, but this simple act of listening to employee problems and taking action went a long way to make employees feel better 2 .

Not surprisingly, the amount of stress present in a job is related to employee satisfaction and commitment. Stressors range from environmental ones (noise, heat, inadequate ventilation) to interpersonal ones (organizational politics, conflicts with coworkers) to organizational ones (pressure to avoid making mistakes, worrying about the security of the job). Some jobs, such as intensive care unit nurse and military fighter pilot, are inherently very stressful.

Another source of stress has to do with the roles people are expected to fulfill on and off the job. Role ambiguity is uncertainty about what our responsibilities are in the job. Role conflict involves contradictory demands at work; it can also involve conflict between fulfilling one’s role as an employee and other roles in life, such as the role of parent, friend, or community volunteer.

Generally speaking, the higher the stress level, the lower job satisfaction tends to be. But not all stress is bad, and some stressors actually make us happier! For example, working under time pressure and having a high degree of responsibility are stressful, but they are also perceived as challenges and tend to be related to high levels of satisfaction (Kinicki, et. al., 2002; Meyer, et. al., 2002; Miller, et. al., 2008; Podsakoff, et. al., 2007).

Assessing Work Attitudes in the Workplace

Given that work attitudes may give us clues about who will leave or stay, who will perform better, and who will be more engaged, tracking satisfaction and commitment levels is a helpful step for companies. If there are companywide issues that make employees unhappy and disengaged, these need to be resolved. There are at least two systematic ways in which companies can track work attitudes: through attitude surveys and exit interviews. Companies such as KFC and Long John Silver restaurants, the SAS Institute, Google, and others give periodic attitude surveys, which are used to track employee work attitudes. Companies can get more out of these surveys if responses are held confidential. If employees become concerned that their individual responses will be shared with their immediate manager, they are less likely to respond honestly. Moreover, success of these surveys depends on the credibility of management in the eye of employees. If management periodically collects these surveys but no action comes out of them, employees may adopt a more cynical attitude and start ignoring these surveys, hampering the success of future efforts. Exit interviews involve a meeting with the departing employee. This meeting is often conducted by a member of the human resource management department. If conducted well, this meeting may reveal what makes employees dissatisfied at work and give management clues about areas for improvement.

How strong is the attitude-behavior link? First of all, it depends on the attitude in question. Your attitudes toward your colleagues may influence whether you actually help them on a project, but they may not be a good predictor of whether you quit your job. Second, it is worth noting that attitudes are more strongly related to intentions to behave in a certain way, rather than actual behaviors. When you are dissatisfied with your job, you will have the intention to leave. Whether you actually leave will be a different story! Your leaving will depend on many factors, such as availability of alternative jobs in the market, your employability in a different company, and sacrifices you have to make while changing jobs. Thus, while the attitudes assessed through employee satisfaction surveys and exit interviews can provide some basis for predicting how a person might behave in a job, remember that behavior is also strongly influenced by situational constraints.

Key Takeaway

Work attitudes are the feelings we have toward different aspects of the work environment. Job satisfaction and organizational commitment are two key attitudes that are the most relevant to important outcomes. In addition to personality and fit with the organization, work attitudes are influenced by the characteristics of the job, perceptions of organizational justice and the psychological contract, relationships with coworkers and managers, and the stress levels experienced on the job. Many companies assess employee attitudes through surveys of worker satisfaction and through exit interviews. The usefulness of such information is limited, however, because attitudes create an intention to behave in a certain way, but they do not always predict actual behaviors.

• What is the difference between job satisfaction and organizational commitment? How do the two concepts relate to one another?
• In your opinion, of the factors that influence work attitudes, which three are the most important in making people dissatisfied with their jobs? Which three are the most important relating to organizational commitment?
• Do you think making employees happier at work is a good way of motivating people? When would high satisfaction not be related to high performance?
• How important is pay in making people attached to a company and making employees satisfied?
• Do you think younger and older people are similar in what makes them happier at work and makes them committed to their companies? Do you think there are male-female differences? Explain your answers.

1 What keeps employees satisfied? HR Focus , 10–13; Sandberg, J. (2008, April 15). For many employees, a dream job is one that isn’t a nightmare. Wall Street Journal , B1.

2 Dvorak, P. (2007, December 17). Theory and practice: Hotelier finds happiness keeps staff checked in; focus on morale boosts Joie de Vivre’s grades from workers, guests. Wall Street Journal , B3.

Bauer, T. N., Bodner, T., Erdogan, B., Truxillo, D. M., & Tucker, J. S. (2007). Newcomer adjustment during organizational socialization: A meta-analytic review of antecedents, outcomes, and methods. Journal of Applied Psychology, 92 , 707–721.

Cohen-Charash, Y., & Spector, P. E. (2001). The role of justice in organizations: A meta-analysis. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 86 , 278–321.

Colquitt, J. A., Conlon, D. E., Wesson, M. J., Porter, C. O. L. H., & Ng, K. Y. (2001). Justice at the millennium: A meta-analytic review of 25 years of organizational justice research. Journal of Applied Psychology, 86 , 425–445.

Gerstner, C. R., & Day, D. V. (1997). Meta-analytic review of leader-member exchange theory: Correlates and construct issues. Journal of Applied Psychology, 82 (6), 827–844.

Judge, T. A., Piccolo, R. F., & Ilies, R. (2004). The forgotten ones? The validity of consideration and initiating structure in leadership research. Journal of Applied Psychology, 89 , 36–51.

Kinicki, A. J., McKee-Ryan, F. M., Schriesheim, C. A., & Carson, K. P. (2002). Assessing the construct validity of the job descriptive index: A review and meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87 , 14–32.

Loher, B. T., Noe, R. A., Moeller, N. L., & Fitzgerald, M. P. (1985). A meta-analysis of the relation of job characteristics to job satisfaction. Journal of Applied Psychology, 70 , 280–289.

Mathieu, J. E., & Zajac, D. M. (1990). A review and meta-analysis of the antecedents, correlates, and consequences of organizational commitment. Psychological Bulletin, 108 , 171–194.

Meyer, J. P., Stanley, D. J., Herscivitch, L., & Topolnytsky, L. (2002). Affective, continuance, and normative commitment to the organization: A meta-analysis of antecedents, correlates, and consequences. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 61 , 20–52.

Miller, B. K., Rutherford, M. A., & Kolodinsky, R. W. (2008). Perceptions of organizational politics: A meta-analysis of outcomes. Journal of Business and Psychology, 22 , 209–222.

Podsakoff, N. P., LePine, J. A., & LePine, M. A. (2007). Differential challenge stressor-hindrance stressor relationships with job attitudes, turnover intentions, turnover, and withdrawal behavior: A meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 92 , 438–454.

Rhoades, L., & Eisenberger, R. (2002). Perceived organizational support: A review of the literature. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87 , 698–714.

Principles of Management Copyright © 2015 by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Work attitudes: What shapes how employees feel

We’ve all experienced positive and negative feelings at work. Maybe you’ve dreaded sitting through a meeting with that one coworker who can’t seem to say anything nice about anyone. Or, you’ve been re-energized on a project when an encouraging colleague praised your hard work.

Work attitudes do more than brighten (or darken) your day at the office, though. They affect the entire workplace , impacting everything from morale to productivity to job satisfaction.

Understanding the factors that shape employee attitudes will help you provide a better working environment. The kind of healthy environment that helps employees flourish.

What we mean by work attitudes

Let’s start with a definition. When we talk about attitudes at work, we’re not talking about mood. Everyone has off days. And everyone has days that make them feel good about their jobs. Attitude goes beyond temporary frustrations and circumstances .

An attitude is a consistent way of viewing a situation. It’s a mindset that’s deeply rooted and persists over time.

Whatever side of the spectrum it takes, an employee’s attitude at work affects every aspect of their job. From job satisfaction to organizational commitment to how they treat their coworkers and customers. And when it spreads to those around them, the repercussions are significant.

How workplace attitudes affect your company

Both positive and negative attitudes affect an organization’s performance. Operations are not completely separate from employee feelings—especially when those feelings turn into actions.

Consider three key areas where attitude can make a big difference to the employee experience—and to your bottom line.

1. Performance and productivity

Employees with positive attitudes at work put their heart into their work and care about quality. They drive their own career goals, getting noticed and even tapped for promotions. And they act as cheerleaders for others, inspiring them to the same heights.

On the flip side, employees with negative outlooks weaken productivity . They spend energy complaining or gossiping. If they don’t feel their work makes a difference, they may become apathetic. If they’re concerned about unfairness, they’ll push back against difficult assignments and mistreat customers.

One or two pessimistic dispositions can create ripple effects that lead others to get lazy about hitting deadlines, spread rumors, or disregard customer service.

2. Employee retention

An optimistic environment where employees feel supported is crucial to retaining your top talent. Employees who are happy in their jobs and feel valued are far more likely to stay with a company than those who don’t.

But when employees see work as drudgery or as an unfair system where they just can’t get ahead, they’re not likely to stick around. And if negative attitudes at work go unchecked, you’ll incur all the costs of frequent turnover .

3. Customer satisfaction

Stellar customer service is a huge factor in building customer loyalty. Customers place a lot of value on their interactions with a company. An employee with a positive attitude will be helpful and handle communication with the care needed.

But when someone has negative feelings about their workplace, it’ll show in their interactions . And when customers experience bad attitudes while dealing with your company, chances are they won’t be returning.

Factors that impact employees’ attitudes at work

Workplace attitudes are shaped by many variables. Some are out of your control. Struggles at home and health or relationship issues may alter an individual’s view of life and people in general.

Nevertheless, there are factors in your control that have a disproportionately large impact on how people view their jobs.

• Job satisfaction. People need to feel like what they do matters. The type of input employees receive at work plays a big role in determining job satisfaction. For example, do they see the impact of their work? Do they get feedback on how to improve? Do they receive praise for a job well done? The answers to these kinds of questions directly influence positive or negative attitudes at work.
• Employer support.  Employees who have opportunities for growth within a company tend to be more optimistic. When a company provides learning and development courses and supports goal setting and progress, people perform better. But it can be demoralizing if they don’t feel their employer is investing in their career.
• Workplace culture. Culture is a result of the behaviors that are modeled and tolerated around the office. A friendly manager who proactively offers support fosters a tone of support and productivity. But a bitter employee gossip session around the water cooler may communicate a hostile or dysfunctional workplace. Employees see work through the lens of your culture and form their attitudes accordingly.

The role of organizations in shaping work attitudes

Plan for positive attitudes at work by monitoring and influencing the factors that impact them. Take a proactive approach to measure work attitudes, get employees started on the right foot, and make corrections along the way.

The following steps can help you take control of your workplace health.

1. Offer learning and development opportunities

Feeling valued is a major factor in employees’ job satisfaction. One way to show them you’re invested in their success is to help them grow professionally. Offer training in skills or knowledge they’ll need to advance. Implement regular goal-setting and performance reviews to help them map their course within the company.

Employees who feel supported and have a clear path for development are happier in their jobs. And happy employees are more productive. And more prone to stay around.

2. Check your culture on a regular basis

The best way to keep informed of what’s going on with the office culture is to ask. Conduct periodic employee feedback surveys . Ask open-ended questions about their experiences or any concerns they may have.

When you find results that suggest people are less than optimistic about the company, look for the source. Are there unresolved conflicts on the team? Are company policies or processes making work harder? Once you know what’s at the root of the problem, you can begin to fix it.

3. Train leadership in people skills

Many companies provide some kind of leadership training to those at the top. But when it comes to a healthy work environment, leaders need more than technical know-how. Make sure they also understand the finer points of working with people .

Teach them to model healthy communication skills to resolve any issues. And instruct them on how to use praise effectively. Employees need to hear what’s going well as much as they need helpful corrections in their careers. When they know their good points are seen and appreciated, they’ll be more content with their jobs.

Commit to positivity

Healthy workplace attitudes aren’t just about productivity and company goals. People spend a big percent of their lives at work. Often they spend more time with their coworkers than they do with friends and family outside of work. They’re investing in you as much as you’re investing in them.

Planning for and providing a positive work environment is one way of ensuring you protect that investment. Take the steps to measure what’s going on in your workplace to create a place where employees thrive. And you’ll see the results in employee happiness and company growth.

Improve your employee, partner and customer training with our enterprise-ready learning management system. Book a demo now and see why our diverse portfolio of customers consistently give us 5 stars (out of 5!)

Book a demo

You may also like

Employees use AI tools, but don’t get training on them

Why and how to invest in employee financial training

When post-holiday blues hit, employee engagement suffers

The Great Resignation shapes the future of work

AI in HR: The good, the bad, and the ugly

Home — Essay Samples — Psychology — Positive Attitude — The Role Of Positive Attitude In The Workplace

The Role of Positive Attitude in The Workplace

• Categories: Positive Attitude Workplace

About this sample

Words: 757 |

Published: Jun 7, 2021

Words: 757 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

Works Cited

• Coelho, A. (2018). Too Much Positivity Can Harm Your Business. Forbes. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2018/05/16/too-much-positivity-can-harm-your-business/?sh=2d18e95c2d10
• Kaplan, S. A., Luchman, J. N., & Bradley-Geist, J. C. (2019). Positive affectivity and job performance: A quantitative and qualitative review. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 40(6), 635-656.
• Lam, C. F., Spreitzer, G., & Fritz, C. (2017). Too much of a good thing: The challenge and opportunity of the inverted U. Academy of Management Perspectives, 31(4), 288-305.
• Langan-Fox, J., & Cooper, C. L. (1996). Affective style and decision-making strategies. Personality and Individual Differences, 20(6), 741-747.
• Luthans, F. (2002). Positive organizational behavior: Developing and managing psychological strengths. Academy of Management Executive, 16(1), 57-72.
• Lyubomirsky, S., King, L., & Diener, E. (2005). The benefits of frequent positive affect: Does happiness lead to success? Psychological Bulletin, 131(6), 803-855.
• Magnusson, D. (1990). Personality development from an interactional perspective. In L. A. Pervin (Ed.), Handbook of personality: Theory and research (pp. 179-198). New York: Guilford.
• Meyer, R. A., Dalal, R. S., & Hermida, R. (2010). A review and synthesis of situational strength in the organizational sciences. Journal of Management, 36(1), 121-140.
• Ottati, V., & Renstrom, R. (2010). Affective communication: Expressing and processing emotion in everyday interactions. New York: Guilford.
• Russell, J. A., & Carroll, J. M. (1999). On the bipolarity of positive and negative affect. Psychological Bulletin, 125(1), 3-30.

Cite this Essay

Let us write you an essay from scratch

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Verified writer

• Expert in: Psychology Life

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

2 pages / 945 words

1 pages / 534 words

5 pages / 2282 words

5 pages / 2397 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Positive Attitude

The concept of positive thinking as a catalyst for improving life's outcomes has fascinated psychologists, philosophers, and the general public alike. The power of positive thinking is not merely a modern self-help slogan but a [...]

Seligman, M. E. P. (2006). Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life. Vintage.Pressman, S. D., & Cohen, S. (2005). Does positive affect influence health? Psychological Bulletin, 131(6), 925-971.Segerstrom, S. C. [...]

Optimism, a disposition characterized by positive expectations and a hopeful outlook on life, has long been recognized as a valuable attribute. College students, in particular, can greatly benefit from embracing this positive [...]

Attitude actually is mental energy and from the moment you are awaken in the morning until you fall asleep at night, you are continuously generating this mental energy or attitude. If You think about it as an electrical energy, [...]

Do you know that one moment in life that changes everything completely unexpectedly? Something like this happened to me last year and threw me completely off track. Everybody has their own approach. Mine was simply not perceive [...]

While many associate the term “circadian rhythm” with mainly sleep cycles, and the determination of being either a “morning or night person,” the circadian rhythm is more than that. The circadian rhythm is essentially the body’s [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

BUS209: Organizational Behavior

Individual Attitudes and Behaviors

The chapter goes into greater detail on how attitudes affect work behaviors. As you read, focus on understanding cross-cultural differences in job attitudes and behaviors at work.

Work Attitudes

Learning objectives.

• Define "work attitudes".
• Describe the relationship between attitudes and behaviors.
• Define and differentiate between job satisfaction and organizational commitment.
• List the factors related to job satisfaction and organizational commitment.
• Describe the consequences of job satisfaction and organizational commitment.
• Identify the ways in which companies can track work attitudes in the workplace.

Our behavior at work often depends on how we feel about being there. Therefore, making sense of how people behave depends on understanding their work attitudes. An attitude refers to our opinions, beliefs, and feelings about aspects of our environment. We have attitudes toward the food we eat, people we interact with, courses we take, and various other things. At work, two particular job attitudes have the greatest potential to influence how we behave. These are job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Job satisfaction refers to the feelings people have toward their job. If the number of studies conducted on job satisfaction is an indicator, job satisfaction is probably the most important job attitude. Institutions such as Gallup Inc. or the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) periodically conduct studies of job satisfaction to track how satisfied employees are at work. According to a recent Gallup survey, 90% of the employees surveyed said that they were at least somewhat satisfied with their jobs. The recent SHRM study revealed 40% who were very satisfied. Organizational commitment is the emotional attachment people have toward the company they work for. There is a high degree of overlap between job satisfaction and organizational commitment, because things that make us happy with our job often make us more committed to the company as well. Companies believe that these attitudes are worth tracking because they are often associated with important outcomes such as performance, helping others, absenteeism, and turnover. How strong is the attitude-behavior link? First of all, it depends on the attitude in question. Your attitudes toward your colleagues may influence whether you actually help them on a project, but they may not be a good predictor of whether you will quit your job. Second, it is worth noting that attitudes are more strongly related to intentions to behave in a certain way, rather than actual behaviors. When you are dissatisfied with your job, you may have the intention to leave. Whether you will actually leave is a different story! Your leaving will depend on many factors, such as availability of alternative jobs in the market, your employability in a different company, and sacrifices you have to make while changing jobs. In other words, while attitudes give us hints about how a person might behave, it is important to remember that behavior is also strongly influenced by situational constraints.

OB Toolbox: How Can You Be Happier at Work?

• Have a positive attitude about it. Your personality is a big part of your happiness. If you are always looking for the negative side of everything, you will find it.
• A good fit with the job and company is important to your happiness. This starts with knowing yourself: What do you want from the job? What do you enjoy doing? Be honest with yourself and do a self-assessment.
• Get accurate information about the job and the company. Ask detailed questions about what life is like in this company. Do your research: Read about the company, and use your social network to understand the company's culture.
• Develop good relationships at work. Make friends. Try to get a mentor. Approach a person you admire and attempt to build a relationship with this person. An experienced mentor can be a great help in navigating life at a company. Your social network can help you weather the bad days and provide you emotional and instrumental support during your time at the company as well as afterward.
• Pay is important, but job characteristics matter more to your job satisfaction. Don't sacrifice the job itself for a little bit more money. When choosing a job, look at the level of challenge, and the potential of the job to make you engaged.
• Be proactive in managing organizational life. If the job is stressful, cope with it by effective time management and having a good social network, as well as being proactive in getting to the source of stress. If you don't have enough direction, ask for it!
• Know when to leave. If the job makes you unhappy over an extended period of time and there is little hope of solving the problems, it may be time to look elsewhere.

What Causes Positive Work Attitudes?

What makes you satisfied with your job and develop commitment to your company? Research shows that people pay attention to several aspects of their work environment, including how they are treated, the relationships they form with colleagues and managers, and the actual work they perform. We will now summarize the factors that show consistent relations with job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Figure 4.2 Factors Contributing to Job Satisfaction and Organizational Commitment

Personality

Can assessing the work environment fully explain how satisfied we are on the job? Interestingly, some experts have shown that job satisfaction is not purely environmental and is partially due to our personality. Some people have a disposition to be happy in life and at work regardless of environmental factors. It seems that people who have a positive affective disposition (those who have a tendency to experience positive moods more often than negative moods) tend to be more satisfied with their jobs and more committed to their companies, while those who have a negative disposition tend to be less satisfied and less committed.  This is not surprising, as people who are determined to see the glass as half full will notice the good things in their work environment, while those with the opposite character will find more things to complain about. In addition to our affective disposition, people who have a neurotic personality (those who are moody, temperamental, critical of themselves and others) are less satisfied with their job, while those who are emotionally more stable tend to be more satisfied. Other traits such as conscientiousness, self-esteem, locus of control, and extraversion are also related to positive work attitudes. Either these people are more successful in finding jobs and companies that will make them happy and build better relationships at work, which would increase their satisfaction and commitment, or they simply see their environment as more positive - whichever the case, it seems that personality is related to work attitudes.

Person–Environment Fit

The fit between what we bring to our work environment and the environmental demands influences our work attitudes. Therefore, person–job fit and person–organization fit are positively related to job satisfaction and commitment. When our abilities match job demands and our values match company values, we tend to be more satisfied with our job and more committed to the company we work for.

Job Characteristics

The presence of certain characteristics on the job seems to make employees more satisfied and more committed. Using a variety of skills, having autonomy at work, receiving feedback on the job, and performing a significant task are some job characteristics that are related to satisfaction and commitment. However, the presence of these factors is not important for everyone. Some people have a high growth need. They expect their jobs to help them build new skills and improve as an employee. These people tend to be more satisfied when their jobs have these characteristics.

Psychological Contract

After accepting a job, people come to work with a set of expectations. They have an understanding of their responsibilities and rights. In other words, they have a psychological contract with the company. A psychological contract is an unwritten understanding about what the employee will bring to the work environment and what the company will provide in exchange. When people do not get what they expect, they experience a psychological contract breach , which leads to low job satisfaction and commitment. Imagine that you were told before being hired that the company was family friendly and collegial. However, after a while, you realize that they expect employees to work 70 hours a week, and employees are aggressive toward each other. You are likely to experience a breach in your psychological contract and be dissatisfied. One way of preventing such problems is for companies to provide realistic job previews to their employees.

Organizational Justice

A strong influence over our satisfaction level is how fairly we are treated. People pay attention to the fairness of company policies and procedures, treatment from supervisors, and pay and other rewards they receive from the company.

Relationships at Work

Two strong predictors of our happiness at work and commitment to the company are our relationships with coworkers and managers. The people we interact with, their degree of compassion, our level of social acceptance in our work group, and whether we are treated with respect are all important factors surrounding our happiness at work. Research also shows that our relationship with our manager, how considerate the manager is, and whether we build a trust-based relationship with our manager are critically important to our job satisfaction and organizational commitment. When our manager and upper management listen to us, care about us, and value our opinions, we tend to feel good at work. Even small actions may show employees that the management cares about them. For example, Hotel Carlton in San Francisco was recently taken over by a new management group. One of the small things the new management did created dramatic results. In response to an employee attitude survey, they replaced the old vacuum cleaners housekeepers were using and established a policy of replacing them every year. This simple act of listening to employee problems and taking action went a long way to making employees feel that the management cares about them.

Not surprisingly, the amount of stress present in our job is related to our satisfaction and commitment. For example, experiencing role ambiguity (vagueness in relation to what our responsibilities are), role conflict (facing contradictory demands at work), and organizational politics, and worrying about the security of our job are all stressors that make people dissatisfied. On the other hand, not all stress is bad. Some stressors actually make us happier! For example, working under time pressure and having a high degree of responsibility are stressful, but they can also be perceived as challenges and tend to be related to high levels of satisfaction.

Work–Life Balance

In the 1950s, people's work was all-consuming. Employees went to work, worked long hours, and the rest of the family accepted that work came first. As society changed, the concept of always putting work first became outdated. In modern times, more employees expect to lead balanced lives, pursue hobbies, and spend more time with their children while at the same time continuing to succeed at work. The notion of work–family conflict is one cause of job dissatisfaction. This conflict can be particularly strong for women because of the time necessary for pregnancy and giving birth, but men struggle with it as well. When work life interferes with family life, we are more stressed and unhappy with our jobs. Research shows that policies that help employees achieve a balance between their work and personal lives, such as allowing telecommuting, are related to higher job satisfaction. For example, the medical resources group of the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca International does not have fixed working hours, and employees can work any hours they choose. Motorola's technological acceleration group also has flexible hours and can work from anywhere (home, office, or a coffee shop) at anytime.

Consequences of Positive Work Attitudes

Why do we care about the job satisfaction and organizational commitment of employees? What behaviors would you expect to see from someone who has more positive work attitudes? If you say "higher performance," you have stumbled upon one of the most controversial subjects in organizational behavior. Many studies have been devoted to understanding whether happy employees are more productive. Some studies show weak correlations between satisfaction and performance while others show higher correlations (what researchers would call "medium-sized" correlations of 0.30). Even with a correlation of 0.30 though, the relationship may be lower than you may have expected. Why is this so? It seems that happy workers have an inclination to be more engaged at work. They may want to perform better. They may be more motivated. But there are also exceptions. Think about this: Just because you want to perform, will you actually be a higher performer? Chances are that your skill level in performing the job will matter. There are also some jobs where performance depends on factors beyond an employee's control, such as the pace of the machine they are working on. Because of this reason, in professional jobs such as engineering and research, we see a higher link between work attitudes and performance, as opposed to manual jobs such as assembly line work. Also, think about the alternative possibility: If you don't like your job, does this mean that you will reduce your performance? Maybe up to a certain point, but there will be factors that prevent you from reducing your performance: the fear of getting fired, the desire to get a promotion so that you can get out of the job that you dislike so much, or your professional work ethic. As a result, we should not expect a one-to-one relationship between satisfaction and performance. Still, the observed correlation between work attitudes and performance is important and has practical value. Work attitudes are even more strongly related to organizational citizenship behaviors (behaviors that are not part of our job but are valuable to the organization, such as helping new employees or working voluntary overtime). Satisfied and committed people are absent less frequently and for shorter duration, are likely to stay with a company longer, and demonstrate less aggression at work. Just as important, people who are happy at work are happier with their lives overall. Given that we spend so much of our waking hours at work, it is no surprise that our satisfaction with our job is a big part of how satisfied we feel about life in general. Finally, a satisfied workforce seems to be related to positive firm-level outcomes, such as customer satisfaction and loyalty, profitability, and safety in the workplace.

Assessing Work Attitudes in the Workplace

Given that work attitudes may give us clues as to who will leave or stay, who will perform better, and who will be more engaged, tracking satisfaction and commitment levels is a helpful step for companies. If there are companywide issues that make employees unhappy and disengaged, then these issues need to be resolved. There are at least two systematic ways in which companies can track work attitudes: through attitude surveys and exit interviews. Companies such as KFC Corporation and Long John Silver's Inc. restaurants, the SAS Institute, Google, and others give periodic surveys to employees to track their work attitudes. Companies can get more out of these surveys if responses are held confidential. If employees become concerned that their individual responses will be shared with their immediate manager, they are less likely to respond honestly. Moreover, the success of these surveys depends on the credibility of management in the eyes of employees. If management periodically collects these surveys but no action comes out of them, employees may adopt a more cynical attitude and start ignoring these surveys, hampering the success of future efforts. An exit interview involves a meeting with the departing employee. This meeting is often conducted by a member of the human resource management department. The departing employee's manager is the worst person to conduct the interview, because managers are often one of the primary reasons an employee is leaving in the first place. If conducted well, this meeting may reveal what makes employees dissatisfied at work and give management clues about areas for improvement.

Key Takeaway

Work attitudes are the feelings we have toward different aspects of the work environment. Job satisfaction and organizational commitment are two key attitudes that are the most relevant to important outcomes. Attitudes create an intention to behave in a certain way and may predict actual behavior under certain conditions. People develop positive work attitudes as a result of their personality, fit with their environment, stress levels they experience, relationships they develop, perceived fairness of their pay, company policies, interpersonal treatment, whether their psychological contract is violated, and the presence of policies addressing work–life conflict. When people have more positive work attitudes, they may have the inclination to perform better, display citizenship behaviors, and be absent less often and for shorter periods of time, and they are less likely to quit their jobs within a short period of time. When workplace attitudes are more positive, companies benefit in the form of higher safety and better customer service, as well as higher company performance.

• What is the difference between job satisfaction and organizational commitment? Which do you think would be more strongly related to performance? Which would be more strongly related to turnover?
• Do you think making employees happier at work is a good way of motivating people? When would high satisfaction not be related to high performance?
• In your opinion, what are the three most important factors that make people dissatisfied with their job? What are the three most important factors relating to organizational commitment?
• How important is pay in making people attached to a company and making employees satisfied?
• Do you think younger and older people are similar in what makes them happier at work and committed to their companies? Do you think there are male–female differences? Explain your answers.

18 Simple Ways to Keep a Positive Attitude at Work

In this article, we’ll explore 18 different strategies for maintaining a positive attitude in the workplace. You’ll learn why positivity is essential, not just for personal well-being, but also for job performance and satisfaction. You’ll also discover a range of actionable tips that you can apply to your daily work routine to cultivate a more optimistic mindset.

Key takeaways:

• Having a positive attitude at work is crucial for both personal well-being and job satisfaction.
• A positive attitude can be cultivated by surrounding yourself with optimistic people, consuming positive content, and managing the language you use.
• Daily routines, practicing kindness, and personal mission statements can enhance positivity.
• Embracing curiosity, long-term thinking, and even “faking it till you make it” can help foster a positive work environment.
• Positivity isn’t solely dependent on external factors; internal tools such as deep breathing, setting personal goals, and assuming responsibility for your reactions can boost your optimism.

When people think of having a positive attitude, they might think that means showing surface level signs of happiness, like putting a smile on one’s face or trying to think happy thoughts.

But it’s more than that. A positive attitude is something that goes deeper and has an effect beyond surface cheer. Negative attitudes promote fear, while positive attitudes do the opposite and promote a more hopeful outlook on life.

Numerous studies have shown that having a positive outlook on life correlates with better psychological and physical well being, and can even increase your lifespan. A positive person views their life as broad and full of possibilities. That view naturally leads to living your life in a way where you’re exposed to and acquire new skills.

First, why is it important to have a positive attitude at work?

When it comes to the workplace, your mental attitude plays a role not just in how others perceive you, but your job satisfaction and performance. Considering many of us spend around forty hours a week at work, you can see the value of fostering a positive mindset in your job.

A positive attitude makes you happier and more fulfilled at your job. Even if you don’t really like your job, changing your mindset can help you flip the script.

How to stay positive in the workplace: 18 helpful tips

Here are some simple, yet helpful, ways to maintain a positive attitude in the workplace, regardless of whether it comes naturally or not.

1. Surround yourself with positive people.

The old saying “birds of a feather flock together” can be viewed two ways. Either people who are similar naturally find each other, or people in a group become the same over time.

Surround yourself with positive people.

Who you hang around with rubs off on you. If you’re always with negative people who complain about everything, you’ll become a complainer and see the world as negative as they do. You might think you can stay positive and change them, but that’s not going to be the case. Try to connect with people who like their job, have new ideas, and are interested in lots of other things besides work. It’ll make your whole outlook better.

You can’t always pick your coworkers, but you can be cautious about how much time you spend with them, and in what setting. If you’re stuck with a negative bunch, be careful not to participate in the negativity. Take breaks and go for a walk rather than immerse yourself in negative breakroom drama and gossip.

Read also: Signs Your Employees Are Overworked—And What To Do About It

2. Fill your mind with positive input.

The same way that the people you are around change you to be more like them, so is what you feed your mind.

Listen to positive music with headphones. Listen to uplifting audio books on the drive into work. Read books that are encouraging. Watch videos and listen to podcasts that are positive or help you improve skills.

If “you are what you eat” holds true for your body, your mind is what you feed it.

3. Control your language.

No, this isn’t about the language police or trying to swear less (although the latter is probably a good idea). This is about being conscious of the words you use when speaking and thinking.

The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis (which played heavily into the movie “Arrival”) suggests that the structure of language affects a person’s view of the world, and the way they think. Taken to the furthest extent, your language actually limits or delineates how you are able to perceive the world.

It’s a hypothesis, granted.

But on a smaller level, the language you use every day, both in thought and spoken word, has a cumulative effect on how you think about yourself, your work, and those around you.

This may seem like a silly example, but it might be the difference between seeing your day as filled with tasks, or filled with opportunities. The former is tiring and arduous, making you feel trapped in a daily grind. The latter is exciting with potential.

Be aware of how you choose to think and speak at work. Find a positive way to view everything and everyone.

4. Create a routine for the day.

Routines get a bad rap.

It’s easy to think that if you have a routine at work, you’re stuck in a rut or you’re not “flexible.” The truth is, though, that routines give us good fall-back structure. A morning routine is especially good, since for many people, the morning is both when we’re most alert and awake yet sometimes not able to buckle down and get started.

Create a routine that helps you get the most important work done, take breaks at the right time, and leave the last hour or so of the work day for less arduous work and preparation for the next day. Most of us get tired by the end of the day, so don’t leave tough work for then. It’s important to end each day by getting prepared for the next.

Related read: How to Improve Your Team’s Work Ethic

5. Be nice to other people.

Being kind to other people makes you happy.

A study in the Journal of Social Psychology found that doing something kind for people has the same effect as trying new and exciting things when it comes to feeling happy.

Even better?

A study in the Journal of Happiness Studies found that the memory of doing something kind for someone causes us to want to do it again.

If you make being nice to other people a regular thing, it’ll become a cycle of generosity and happiness that makes you feel good and causes those around you to feel happy as well.

Think of the worst negative work environment possible. Negativity feeds on more negativity until it seems overwhelming. Be nice to other people and watch them pay it forward.

If your work is difficult and you can’t get away from that, and finding a positive attitude about the work itself is a challenge, be kind to the people around you and let that be an effective substitute.

Appreciating and recognizing coworkers can go a long way in making your day better.

Bonus tip: To create a supportive, positive work atmosphere for everyone, check out team building games .

6. Don’t rely on an outside source of positivity.

Carry a positive attitude with you.

Think of a positive attitude like a survival tool: carry it with you at all times for emergencies.

Whether you rely on a phrase that you repeat over and over when times are stressful or you have some other trick to help resurrect and keep a positive attitude, be sure to come up with a mechanism that doesn’t rely on someone else or a specific situation.

7. Create high points in each day and week.

One of the best parts of an exciting vacation is the days leading up to it, when you have it to look forward to. Knowing something good is coming can make otherwise dreary days more bearable.

You can create the same effect by creating small “high points” each day to help you get through projects or days that might otherwise seem draining. This is why taking breaks is important, but not every break is as valuable as they could be.

A few suggestions:

• Don’t turn to unhealthy food as a reward. You’ll end up with negative effects and a bad habit for junk food or excessive coffee.
• Take breaks outside or away from work when possible.
• Consider a walk, solitude, silence—whatever sounds good and is doable where you work.
• Find a place to read a book not related to work.

Daily high points should be small and simple, not requiring money or creating a habit that could have negative effects on your health or budget if you do them every day (e.g. walk to the bakery for a donut and coffee every day). Weekly or monthly high points can be a bit bigger. Maybe every Thursday you eat lunch at a restaurant nearby instead of bringing in your own lunch. Whatever it is, create something to look forward to.

8. Assume responsibility, and choose your response.

Refusing to take responsibility for your actions and your situation, or not taking control of how you respond, kills a positive attitude immediately.

After all, if something happens and you’re at fault or in some way responsible, refusing to acknowledge it means you can’t correct the behavior and it will happen again, and you also set yourself up for a victimhood mindset in which things happen to you.

You will be more positive seeing life as something you have some control over rather than at the mercy of fate. Think of it as an equation: E + R = O (event + response = outcome). How you respond has an effect on the outcome, even when events are out of your control.

Related read: 70 Awesome Ways to Motivate Employees

9. Decide your reaction to known problems ahead of time.

Whether it’s clients or coworkers or regular projects, there are some things at work that you are always going to dread dealing with.

You know they upset you. Decide beforehand that they will not.

If a client always has to make changes, expect it. Choose to be calm about it, to not let it bother you. Try to look at the client or coworker that’s driving you nuts in a different way. Maybe they are having a bad time at home, or they are stressed themselves.

10. Breathe deeply.

Breathing deeply tricks your body into calming down. Calm people have better attitudes.

If you find yourself getting a bad attitude about something, find a place where you can be alone, and do some deep breathing exercises. Not only does it reduce stress , but it helps you clear your mind and see the situation in a different way.

11. Make a mission statement.

Do you have a personal mission statement ?

Where you work probably has a mission statement, but you should have one yourself.

A personal mission statement will help you define your purpose at work, what your life is about, and what motivates your behavior. It’s a good thing to fall back on when work gets crazy and you’re confused about what it is you’re doing.

When you feel like you have purpose, you can be positive. When you feel like you don’t have a purpose or you don’t know what you’re doing at work…not so much.

12. Have personal goals.

Goals are a bit different from personal mission statements in that they are specific things you want to achieve. They’re kind of like rewards, in that they give you something to look forward to.

However, goals aren’t just “fun in the future,” but are the actual guides that you use to achieve.

It’s tough to be positive if you think you’re going nowhere. Goals are proof that you have a plan and you’re working towards something. They are evidence of forward, positive motion.

13. Remember that no one owes you anything.

One of the worst killers of a good attitude is going through life thinking people owe you.

No one owes you anything. Life’s not fair. Believing anything else sets you up to be in a constant state of blame, victimhood, anger, passive-aggressiveness, and joylessness. Negativity is the standard state of existence if you think the world owes you.

How do you get rid of an attitude of entitlement?

• It’s up to me to make things happen.
• Hard work is what brings good things.
• I have to be willing to accept change quickly.
• When things are difficult, I still keep going.

If those four concepts are in your head, you’re not going to be wallowing in negativity waiting for the world to do something for you.

14. Stop complaining.

We mentioned how you need to control your language. That obviously covers complaining, but complaints are such a huge issue that they warrant their own section.

Stop complaining.

Complaining does nothing. If you’re around people who complain a lot, get away from them. Try to see the situation in a positive or different light.

Complaints are a way of seeing everything in a negative light without considering any other explanation. It’s a one-way road to dissatisfaction that builds the further you travel it.

15. Embrace laughter.

Laughing is good for you physically, and of course, it helps you feel much better. Who doesn’t love a good laugh?

Humor is especially good when things are going terribly wrong. Who doesn’t love the guy who, in the middle of some nightmare project, offers a quip that suddenly makes the entire mess seem hilarious? Be that guy. Try to find humor wherever you can.

Laughing with people is different from laughing at them. Never joke about others to get a laugh at their expense.

See also: 5 Ways Employee Culture Impacts Your Bottom Line

16. Be curious and embrace learning.

A mind that is closed to learning new things grows stagnant and negative. Change, new ideas, or any additional task becomes onerous to someone like that.

Be a person who is willing to learn and is curious about many things. Your attitude will be positive because you are forward-looking and want to understand instead of being closed off. Being curious about a new situation or what’s going on makes you mindful and aware of the present moment, and that tends to force out negative attitudes.

17. Look long-term instead of short-term.

When the situation is difficult in the short-term, adjust your vision to the long-term.

Short-term situations tend to be heavy on emotion. Making decisions or taking action based on that is not only a bad idea, but tends to feed negative attitudes. Viewing things in the long-term, on the other hand, make the challenges of the now seem much less terrible because the bigger picture reveals an exciting outcome.

While it’s not good to live in a realm of make-believe, thinking realistically in the long-term provides a positive spin to your day and helps you construct those goals we mentioned earlier.

Check out: 12 Great Employee Retention Strategies

18. Fake it until you make it.

No, this is not a call to be a hypocrite.

The reality is, though, that sometimes we don’t always “feel” the emotion we want. Sitting around waiting for it to come upon us is a sure way to make certain it never comes. You often have to fake it until the real deal arrives.

Don’t feel happy? Don’t feel excited about a presentation? Fake it. More often than not, the real emotion will show up. You’re not going to feel super excited and positive every day, but don’t let that stop you from the behavior that goes along with it, anyway.

Drive your emotions; don’t let them drive you.

There are many ways to keep a positive work attitude

At age 76, Gen. MacArthur said : “You are as young as your faith, as old as your doubt; as young as your self-confidence, as old as your fear; as young as your hope, as old as your despair. In the central place of every heart, there is a recording chamber; so long as it receives messages of beauty, hope, cheer and courage; so long as you are young. When your heart is covered with snows of pessimism and the ice of cynicism, then and only then are you grown old.”

Take this list of ways to keep a positive attitude. Add to it the tricks you’ve figured out on your own. And then, do it. Constantly. Do the work of keeping a positive attitude alive at work. It will have a huge impact on your entire life, and in the lives around you.

One bonus way to give your employees a positive attitude at work is to give them the benefits they want, like flexible scheduling and better communication . You can do that with  When I Work. Start your free 14-day trial today!

Keeping a positive attitude at work: FAQs

Why is maintaining a positive attitude at work important.

A positive attitude at work is essential for personal well-being, job satisfaction, and overall performance. It can foster a more collaborative and productive work environment, and positively affect your career progression.

How can I cultivate a positive attitude at work?

Cultivating a positive attitude at work can be achieved by implementing various strategies such as surrounding yourself with optimistic individuals, engaging in positive reading, and consciously managing your language. 

Additionally, practicing daily routines, displaying kindness, and developing a personal mission statement can enhance your positive outlook.

Can I enhance positivity at work through my actions?

Yes, actions such as embracing curiosity, thinking long-term, and even adopting the “fake it till you make it” approach can foster a positive work environment. These actions can influence not only your personal attitude but also the overall mood of your workplace.

How can internal tools help in maintaining a positive attitude at work?

Internal tools like deep breathing exercises can help reduce stress and promote a more positive attitude; moreover, setting personal goals can provide a sense of purpose and forward motion, enhancing positivity. 

Taking responsibility for your reactions also promotes a sense of control, which can contribute to a positive outlook.

How can I stay positive at work when faced with challenges?

Maintaining a positive attitude in challenging situations involves strategies like “faking it till you make it”, viewing situations from a long-term perspective, and embracing learning and curiosity. 

These strategies can help you to stay focused, resilient, and positive even in the face of adversity.

Like What You See?

Join over 140,000 other people and get valuable business tips delivered right to your inbox.

Something Went Wrong

We had some issues creating your account. Please check your info and try again.

Employee Burnout: Causes, Signs, And Strategies

9 Strategies For Decreasing Labor Costs

Rotating Shifts: A Manager’s Guide to Rotating Schedules

How to Save Time And Money With Automatic Scheduling For Employees

40 Employee Appreciation Ideas Your Staff Will Love

How to Write Up an Employee in 8 Easy Steps

Work ethic in the workplace

Ivan Andreev

Demand Generation & Capture Strategist, Valamis

January 17, 2022 · updated April 3, 2024

15 minute read

In this article, you’ll learn what defines a strong work ethic, and how to develop it within your company.

You’ll also learn what affects the work ethic of various personnel, and how you can help them improve it.

What is work ethic?

Why is work ethic important, what are the benefits of having a strong work ethic in an organization, strong work ethic examples, bad work ethic examples, strong work ethic skills you should develop, bad work ethic skills you should avoid, how to develop a strong work ethic in an organization (tips), faq about work ethic.

Work ethic is a set of standards of behavior and beliefs regarding what is and isn’t acceptable to do at work.

Work ethic can be strong (good) or poor (bad), it depends on personal views of employees, their motivation, and overall company culture.

A strong work ethic is an attitude an employee applies to their work that indicates a high level of passion for any work they do.

A bad work ethic is an attitude that an employee demonstrates that shows a lack of ambition and professionalism in the workplace.

People with a strong work ethic often seem as though they have a competitive spirit, although their competitiveness is often within themselves to achieve their goals within their occupation.

Those individuals with a strong work ethic often present themselves as ‘ideal employees’ because their drive for success leads them to work to achieve one goal after another.

Work ethic can be nurtured, although it’s often a part of an individual’s character and overall outlook on life.

Work ethic may seem like a subjective topic, but for human resources departments, knowing what it is and how it works is important.

A strong work ethic within the company serves as a behavioral model for the right way of working. It supports and fosters a productive working culture.

Employees with a strong work ethic are highly driven and often far exceed their peers in terms of achieving company goals.

They lead by example and motivate others to work hard. Of course, it must be part of the work culture , and everybody should support it.

Otherwise, one employee with a strong work ethic in a collective of people with poor work ethic will eventually exhibit the same attitude or will leave the company.

Bad work ethic, put another way, can lead to demotivation, loss of effectiveness, sometimes even to high turnover rate and other damaging consequences.

So, it is vital for the HR department to track and adjust work ethic within the company, department, or even of the particular employee.

We won’t say that employees with a strong work ethic are better choices for promotion within the company, but they are the first candidates for this, because of their drive and commitment to their job.

Develop and maintain a strategy-driven learning culture

Upgrade your organization’s learning culture with clear, actionable strategies to address the challenges.

Employees are more productive and dedicated. They help each other, and so on. Cover this more.

1. A balanced, respectful workplace and culture

Employees with a strong work ethic present themselves as professionals in every sense of the word.

They respect their fellow employees, their higher-ups, and those that they come into contact with.

Not only does this present a polished image for your organization, it also creates an environment that other people are happy to work in.

2. Higher productivity

Employees with a strong ethic put their commitments to the company before other, frivolous activities.

While there’s no reason to work rather than attend to a family emergency, these employees won’t slack off on a project because they’d rather do something they’re not obligated to instead.

A high drive for work ethic means that they take enough gratification in their job to complete every task, and correctly prioritize their work/life balance.

People with a strong work ethic take pride in their jobs and see every task they do as important.

These are employees that rarely, if ever, arrive at the job late. Not only that, they complete all assigned projects in a timely manner and avoid holding up the workflow of the rest of the organization. This creates efficiency and a sense of expediency in the workplace.

3. A wider talent pool

The employees that show the highest work ethic are also those that continue their dedication as they advance in their careers. Better managers make for better employees underneath them.

When you scout employees with a strong work ethic from the beginning, you can keep your strongest assets within the company.

Work ethic examples

Next, we’ll go into a practical examination of work ethic. We’ll review some common examples of both strong and poor work ethic.

People with a strong work ethic are often referred to as true professionals. Next, we’ll look at some examples of a strong work ethic in the workplace.

First example:

Barney is the employee that always follows through on his commitments. If he agrees to take over another co-worker’s shift, he always shows up. If commits to a deadline, you can count on him to meet that deadline.

Everyone knows him as the guy they can rely on. He gets satisfaction in being the person that never shows up late, and always completes work of the caliber, no matter what the task is.

Second example:

Angela’s supervisor asked her to coordinate reports between patient in-services and insurance. Unfortunately, Angela isn’t very familiar with processing certain insurance claims.

Rather than giving up, Angela decides to expand her skillset. She networks with her co-workers in the insurance department and asks questions of her supervisor to ensure she completes her task to the best of her ability.

In the process, she expands her skills to make sure she meets her goals.

Third example:

Barbara is known for her meticulous work. She never misses a deadline, and still doesn’t sacrifice the quality of her work to do so.

While it may take more focus, and time for certain tasks, she always delivers high-quality, reliable work. Her supervisors know that they don’t need to double-check her work.

No matter what day, what time, or what the circumstances are Barbara never turns in work that would be considered sub-par.

Individuals with bad work ethic aren’t very hard to point out. However, clear examples can help you point out specific factors that are a problem. If these are corrected, the employee’s performance will also improve.

Jim’s supervisor asked him to review the financial reports from last quarter to look for purchases from one client. The supervisor gave him this task about a month ago and asked him to complete it within a few weeks.

Now, a month has passed, and Jim still hasn’t reviewed any of the reports. Rather than starting early, he’s left it to the last minute and turns in an incomplete report.

Jim is a standard example of poor prioritization and a weak work ethic.

Sheila is sometimes bothered by the tasks required of her. However, she never addresses this with her superiors. Instead, she complains to co-workers, friends, and anyone that will listen about her job.

Ultimately it displays a very poor image of the company and creates a more hostile working environment for her co-workers.

Being resentful and complaining, rather than seeking solutions, is another strong indicator of poor work ethic.

Jeff is an employee that isn’t bothered by work schedules. Every weekday he’s supposed to show up at 9 am.

While other employees show up on time or even early, Jeff is rarely, if ever at the office on time. He makes excuses about traffic or other problems but never bothers to get up earlier to correct the issues.

His constant tardiness shows a lack of respect for his job and fellow coworkers. His coworkers know him as unreliable and irresponsible as a result.

Repeated tardiness is another common sign that an employee has a bad work ethic.

Strong and poor work ethic skills and traits

Next, we’ll go into a practical examination of work ethic. We’ll review some common examples of both good and bad work ethic.

Hard workers don’t give up when a task is difficult. These individuals show their work ethic in their persistence.

Dedication means that an employee always sees their commitments through. They keep their deadlines and complete tasks to the fullest.

Workers that show discipline aren’t swayed by what they want to do. Instead, they continue doing what they should until it’s complete.

• Productivity

Individuals with a strong work ethic often have high productivity and keep themselves busy completing assignments and meeting their goals.

Team players are individuals that demonstrate work ethic through teamwork. They know their company works when everyone does their part, and they’re always willing to help a co-worker.

Integrity is a strong indicator of a good work ethic. It guides individuals to make choices that are morally sound, and that are ethically balanced.

• Responsibility

Individuals with a strong work ethic are known to be responsible. Being consistent and reliable shows professionalism and respect for their work.

• Determination

Employees can show a strong work ethic by being determined to meet or exceed goals. Even if they’re not familiar with the task, they will look for resources to help them successfully achieve their goals.

• Professionalism

It can be difficult to do the best work on the hardest days; however, individuals with a strong work ethic persevere and create high-quality work nonetheless.

Procrastination

People with poor work ethic aren’t driven to complete tasks. As a result, they wait until the last minute to complete work and often produce work of poor quality.

Negativity affects others in the workplace and is a common trait of people with bad work ethic because they don’t value professionalism.

Toxicity is a high indication of poor work ethic. These individuals aren’t concerned with creating a productive, welcoming work environment and seek to minimize their peers.

Inefficiency

Employees with poor work ethic may demonstrate inefficiency. While they may complete their tasks, they do it in a way that ultimately takes more time, and costs the company more money.

Irresponsibility

When you have an irresponsible employee, you can see a lack of work ethic in how seriously they take their duties in the workplace. Irresponsible employees don’t place high importance on their commitments and responsibilities.

Passiveness

Passiveness can be a general personality characteristic, but it can also apply to attitudes in the workplace. This attitude means that individuals don’t care either way what happens with their job- in other words, they also demonstrate apathy.

Untimeliness

People with a poor work ethic aren’t driven to go to work, nor are they driven to complete projects as part of their job.

Unprofessional behavior

Unprofessional behavior is a strong indicator of a lack of work ethic, as those employees that take pride in their jobs strive to maintain a professional demeanor.

Next, this list will give you the best tips available for developing a strong work ethic within your company.

1. Lead by example

People look to their leaders for the behaviors they should emulate. Supervisors and the HR department are perfect examples of this.

Show employees the value of a strong work ethic by embodying it yourself, and encouraging supervisors in all departments to do the same.

2. Organize team workshops

Employees tend to be more motivated when they work as a team, and learning skills for their job is no different.

Allowing everyone to work together in a team workshop breeds a more positive environment in the office, and often gives individuals an extra reason to try and excel at learning a new skill.

3. Organize feedback sessions (discussions)

Getting feedback helps you know how employees feel about the company.

You can choose to do individual interviews, group discussions, or even anonymous surveys. The most important part is to get honest, unfiltered feedback.

This feedback can tell you if there’s a general lack of work ethic in the company as a whole, in certain departments, or if certain individuals diminish work ethic.

4. Team building activities

People work harder when they feel like part of a team, and they don’t want to let their teammates down.

Use team-building activities to build rapport between employees, and grow their skills for teamwork.

Working as a team player is an important skill for developing an attitude of a strong work ethic.

5. 1-on-1 meetings to improve attitude

Address problems within your company as soon as possible- but keep it professional.

Don’t try to confront an employee in front of their peers, which can cause embarrassment, and lower morale and motivation. Instead, if you find an individual with problematic attitudes or behaviors, pull them aside for individual meetings.

Try to understand any issues they feel are causing the problem, and help coach them into better work behavior.

6. Encourage mentoring

One way to help enhance work ethic is by giving employees time to learn from a more experienced employee with a strong work ethic.

Mentors understand what less experienced employees deal with, and issues that might cause a negative attitude.

Set aside time and select mentors to be available to ‘coach’ other employees, and ultimately enhance their performance.

7. Keep a professional demeanor

Professionalism is a cornerstone of a strong work ethic.

Remember, a strong work ethic shows that you have great pride in the work you do, and a strong drive to continually succeed.

That also means that you see yourself as part of the team, and want to represent yourself, your coworkers, and your place of work to the very best. You never act in a way that creates a hostile or uncomfortable environment for your peers- you’re too busy trying to achieve your next goal.

Likewise, you don’t create conflict, and address everyone else within the company with the same respect you feel you deserve. You keep a clean-cut, professional appearance that shows you care about how you represent yourself and the company.

What does work ethic mean?

Work ethic represents a set of ethical attitudes towards work that regulates employees’ behavior at work.

What is a strong work ethic?

A strong work ethic refers to an outlook that compels people to succeed within their jobs.

How to develop a strong work ethic?

Create an atmosphere of mutual respect and professionalism among employees. Encourage employees to think of themselves as team players.

How to improve work ethic?

Maintain a professional attitude even in difficult circumstances. Remember that you’re part of a team, and that team needs all players to succeed. If possible, find a mentor (such as a more experienced employee at your company) to help guide you.

What are important skills of strong work ethics?

The most important skills for a strong work ethic include:

How to describe your work ethic?

Highlight positive traits about yourself that show your work ethic. Make these traits specific to you and your attitude. Avoid simply listing skills or traits; instead, try to connect them with job experience or examples.

How do you complete your work? Are you: timely, reliable, professional, or driven? Do you: always arrive on time, consistently complete quality work, support your team members?

Use these traits to build your answer, and make sure you can give relevant examples for each.

What is the protestant work ethic?

The Protestant work ethic is a theory applied to many different subjects, including sociology, theology, and other related studies. You may also hear ‘Protestant work ethic’ referred to Puritan or Calvinist work ethic, although the principles are the same.

In essence, this theory says that people are influenced by the values in their Protestant faith, and tend to demonstrate a more frugal lifestyle, discipline, and diligence in their everyday lives.

What is poor work ethics?

Poor work ethic shows when employees demonstrate bad work habits, including a lack of productivity, lack of concern for deadlines, and poor quality of work. In general, poor work ethics are an overall disregard for the job and professionalism.

You might be interested in

The Social Balance Sheet: Enabling the workforce to learn

Learning and development fundamentals

Learn what learning and development is and why it is so important. Discover main areas, terms, challenges, jobs, and the key difference between HR and L&D.

The meaning of Learning Management System (LMS)

Find out what a Learning Management System is. What does it do? What are the benefits of having LMS, and how to select the best LMS for your organization?

Work Attitude: 40 Useful Performance Feedback Phrases

Work Attitude: Use these sample phrases to craft meaningful performance evaluations, drive change and motivate your workforce.

Work Attitude is one's feelings towards and beliefs about one's job and their behavior that can tell how it feels to be there.

Work Attitude: Exceeds Expectations Phrases

• Encourages colleagues to work and quickly build up a jovial working environment of trust
• Has a valuable working attitude that strengthens business connections in an amazing way
• Always firm, determined and confident with a strong minded will not give up
• Ability to deal with internal and external pressure excellently while maintaining the right attitude
• Very cheerful person making everyone around to cheer up as well
• Carries a positive viewpoint and ability to make sound decisions in stressful situations
• Always focused to internal bearing that brings out the right attitude in all situations
• Always thinking positively and willing to share positive insights that could benefit everybody
• Always emphasizes the positive in each situation no matter how grim it looks like
• Carries a delicious humorous character that makes others enjoy a good laugh as they perform their tasks

Work Attitude: Meets Expectations Phrases

• Has a high positive impact on those around encouraging and motivating them to do their best
• Carries a productive attitude that does not change even in unpleasant situations
• Focuses energies and strengthens on the most demanding tasks that can be done
• Always works past the can't do attitude to ensure difficult tasks are done
• Certain about capability to get any job done and done well
• Always willing to jump in and help with any situation without necessarily being asked
• Seeks opportunities to show others what can be done with ease and what needs much work
• Seeks to do the more challenging tasks and does them well
• Always brings a smile on the face that can tell enthusiasm from afar
• Always carries a positive mindset that is frequently accompanied by an excellent posture

Work Attitude: Needs Improvement Phrases

• Does not do well under pressure likely to overlook the important details
• Has frequent changing mods that are difficult to keep up with
• Fails to maintain a friendly attitude in times of work stress changing to a high tone and harsh voice
• Always looks frightening making the team fear and withhold their opinions
• Needs to learn how to control his temper and working attitude when under pressure
• Always the bridge of conflicts among the coworkers fueling conflict on one side
• Always has conflict with the management that needs to be resolved
• Carries an unfortunate viewpoint that always causes the team to lose the bearing
• Always works against the company policy by declaring everything difficult
• High rude to the coworkers and does not receive any remarks very well

Work Attitude: Self Evaluation Questions

• Are you focused on doing a thorough work on all tasks assigned without any complaint?
• Are you quick to congratulate coworkers who are doing their level best?
• Do you a right attitude to handle all types of customers, colleagues, and management?
• Do you allow others to air their opinions or give you new ideas you can implement?
• Are you an asset to your company or a strict liability that only causes conflict?
• Do you care about the impression you give to your business about what kind of a person you are?
• Are you always armed with the right attitude no matter the situation?
• How do you handle workplace stress and work related pressures?
• Do you give your work a personal touch that people can put know you did it?
• Are you emotionally stable or do you flare up in uncontrollable anger?

These articles may interest you

Recent articles.

• How To Improve Employee Engagement. Top 100 Ideas List
• Skills needed to be a senior staff psychologist
• Skills needed to be a synoptic meteorologist
• Employee Performance Goals Sample: IT Support Manager
• Skills needed to be an information security auditor
• Outstanding Employee Performance Feedback: Credit Adjustment Clerk
• Poor Employee Performance Feedback: Compliance Officer
• Employee Performance Goals Sample: Biomass Facilitator
• Employee Performance Goals Sample: Computer Systems Consultant
• Top 30 Employee Survey Questions: Communication Skills
• Poor Employee Performance Feedback: Biophysics Scientist
• Employee Performance Goals Sample: Customer Service Representative
• Conceptual Thinking: 40 Useful Performance Feedback Phrases
• Employee Performance Goals Sample: Cytology Laboratory Manager
• Poor Employee Performance Feedback: Business Operations Support Specialist

Along with Stanford news and stories, show me:

• Student information
• Faculty/Staff information

We want to provide announcements, events, leadership messages and resources that are relevant to you. Your selection is stored in a browser cookie which you can remove at any time using “Clear all personalization” below.

Image credit: Claire Scully

Gen Z is growing up: In 2024, the generation born between 1996 to 2010 is expected to overtake Baby Boomers in the full-time workforce, according to a recent analysis by Glassdoor .

They are bringing to the office a different set of values, behaviors, and expectations than prior generations, according to research by Roberta Katz , a former senior research scholar at Stanford’s Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences (CASBS) . Katz collaborated with a team of researchers to conduct a large, multi-year study to find out what matters to Gen Z and why – findings that culminated in a book and website .

Stanford Report sat down with Katz to talk about this research and what to expect from Gen Z in the workplace.

1. Gen Z expects change

The world Gen Zers came of age in was fundamentally different from that of their parents and even millennials, people who were born in the early 1980s to 1996.

The world of Gen Z has been defined by technological changes happening at rapid speeds that also reshaped social experiences. Disruption and impermanence have always been part of the world Gen Z experienced – for them, it’s a norm, not an exception.

“There is an expectation of constant change,” said Katz.

Growing up amid uncertainty has given Gen Z a unique set of characteristics, including being flexible and resilient. It has opened them up to new ways of thinking about the future and doing things – and questioning the ways things are done, which leads to the next trait Gen Zers will bring with them to work.

2. Gen Z is pragmatic

Gen Z has a strong sense of self-agency.

Gen Z lives in a world that has always been one search engine result away. If they want to know more about something, they readily seek the answer out for themselves ( even if it’s not always the correct one ).

They question everything and everyone – from their peers, parents, or people at work. “They don’t necessarily see elders as experts,” Katz said. “They want to understand why something is done in a certain way. They’re very pragmatic.”

They are also not afraid to challenge why things are done the way they are.

“When an older person says to them, ‘This is how you should do it,’ they want to check that out for themselves. It doesn’t mean they’re always right; it’s a different way of understanding,” Katz explained.

3. Gen Z wants to make a difference

Gen Zers not only expect change – they demand it.

They are inheriting a set of complex problems – from climate change to inequality to racial injustice, to name but a few – and want to fix it. They want to work for a place that they believe is doing good in the world.

Some Gen Zers will hold their employers accountable on the causes and issues that matter to them.

Katz warns that for some employers, it can be challenging – if not untenable – to take a position on politically charged or sensitive topics. “It is impossible for most institutions that represent lots of people and lots of identities to satisfy everybody,” Katz said.

4. Gen Z values collaboration and teamwork

For some Gen Zers, the digital world helped shape their identity: Through social media and in online groups, they found subcultures to connect and interact with.

They grew up with wikis – websites collaboratively built and edited by its users – and fandoms – enthusiastic and energetic communities centered around a shared, common interest. For example, K-pop sensation BTS has its Army , Beyonce has her Beyhive, and Taylor Swift has her Swifties.

“They’re in a posse – even with their headphones on,” Katz said.

To get things done, they value collaboration.

“There is a hope that everybody who is contributing is in it for the good of the whole,” Katz describes. “They want to have a team spirit.”

5. Gen Z wants leaders who guide by consensus

Gen Z is also less hierarchical than previous generations.

“They don’t believe in hierarchy for hierarchy’s sake,” Katz said. “They do believe in hierarchy where it is useful.”

Instead, Gen Zers prefer leadership that is dependent on expertise that is task or time specific. That could mean they favor management where team members take turns leading the group (known as a “rotating leadership” model). Another style they may prefer is “collaborative leadership,” in which people from across the organization participate in decision-making and problem-solving.

Transparency is also important.

Gen Zers value consensus and they look for leaders who are in service of the group (also called “service leadership”).

6. Gen Z cares about mental health and work-life balance

Gen Z grew up in a period that saw the blurring of the 9-to-5 work schedule and the rise of flexible work models – a mode of working that led to older generations feeling a pressure to always be “on.”

“Work and home life are all so integrated that if you don’t pay attention, you could be working all the time,” said Katz. “I think Gen Z is sensitive to that.”

Having a work-life balance and maintaining mental and physical health is also important to Gen Z.

“They’re placing a value on the human experience and recognizing that life is more than work,” Katz said.

7. Gen Z thinks differently about loyalty

Because Gen Z grew up amid so much change, Gen Z has a different perspective on loyalty.

But as Katz pointed out, “they also grew up with workplaces not being very loyal to their employees.”

Gen Zers were raised in the shadows of the global financial crisis of 2008, an event that has had long-lasting impacts on employment and the nature of work. “It used to be that people went to work for big companies thinking they’d be there for their entire career and that the company would watch out for them: providing health insurance, and so on,” Katz said.

But after the 2008 recession, and even more recently following the COVID-19 pandemic, companies have cut back labor costs and implemented other cost-saving measures, like reducing perks and benefits. Meanwhile, mass layoffs have also been rampant.

“There’s a reason that employees don’t feel the same degree of loyalty, too,” Katz said.

Meanwhile, the gig economy has also been present throughout Gen Zers’ lives, as has the rise of contract work. They are entrepreneurial, which is part of their pragmatic tendencies.

8. Gen Z looks for trust and authenticity

Gen Z also values authenticity.

“Authenticity is about trust,” Katz said. “Words and actions need to match.”

Honesty and openness are important.

For Katz, it’s all about mutually respectful communication. “My bottom line always to employers is stay open to hearing about different ways to get things done, because Gen Z has one foot in the future.”

Katz is associate vice president for strategic planning, emerita, and is currently involved in a strategic role with the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability and the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence . She also serves as vice chair of the board of the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences (CASBS).

Katz studied Gen Z as part of a multi-year CASBS research project with Sarah Ogilvie, a linguist at the University of Oxford and formerly at Stanford; Jane Shaw, a historian who is the principal of Harris Manchester College at Oxford and was previously dean for religious life at Stanford; and Linda Woodhead, a sociologist at King’s College London. The research was funded by the Knight Foundation.

From 2004 to 2017, Katz served under Stanford University Presidents John Hennessy and Marc Tessier-Lavigne as associate vice president for strategic planning, and in 2017 as interim chief of staff.

Psychology Discussion

Essay on attitude: top 8 essays | human behaviour | psychology.

ADVERTISEMENTS:

Here is a compilation of essays on ‘Attitude’ for class 9, 10, 11 and 12. Find paragraphs, long and short essays on ‘Attitude’ especially written for school and college students.

Essay on Attitude

Essay Contents:

• Essay on the Theories of Attitude

Essay # 1. Meaning and Definition of Attitude :

Attitudes are learned predispositions and represent cluster of beliefs, assessed feelings and behavioural intentions towards aspects of our environment like a person, object or event. Attitudes are evaluative statements either favourable or unfavourable concerning objects, people or events and are a persistent tendency to feel and behave in a particular way toward some object.

Measuring the A-B Relationship Recent research indicates that attitudes:

(A) Significantly predict behaviours

(B) When moderating variables are taken into account.

According to G.W. Allport, “Attitude is a mental and neutral state of readiness organized through experience, exerting a directive or dynamic influence upon individual’s response to all objects and situations with which it is related.”

Krech and Crutchfield defined “attitude as an enduring organization of motivational, emotional, perceptual and cognitive processes with respect to some aspect of the individual’s world.”

According to Katz and Scotland, “Attitude is a tendency or predisposition to evaluate an object or symbol of that object in a certain way”. In effect attitude is used in a generic sense, as to what people perceive, feel and express their views about a situation, object or other people. Attitude cannot be seen, but the behaviour can be seen as an expression of attitude.

Essay # 2. Characteristics of Attitude :

The attitude is the evaluative statements or judgments concerning objects, people, or events. More precisely attitudes can be defined as a persistent tendency to feel and behave in a particular way toward some object which may include events or individuals as well.

Attitude can be characterized in three ways:

(a) They tend to persist unless something is done to change them.

(b) Attitudes can fall anywhere along a continuum from very favourable to very unfavourable.

(c) Attitudes are directed toward some object about which a person has feelings (sometimes called “affect”) and beliefs.

Essay # 3. Components of Attitudes :

The three basic components of attitude are cognitive, affective and behavioural part:

(a) Cognitive Component:

Cognitive component of attitude is related to value statement. It consists of belief, ideas, values and other information that an individual may possess or has faith in. Quality of working hard is a value statement or faith that a manager may have.

(b) Affective Component:

Affective component of attitude is related to person’s feelings about another person, which may be positive, negative or neutral.

Example: I do not like Maya because she is not hard working, or I like Mina because she is hard working. It is an expression of feelings about a person, object or a situation.

(c) Behavioural Component:

Behavioural component of attitude is related to impact of various situations or objects that lead to individual’s behaviour based on cognitive and affective components.

Example: I do not like Maya because she is not hard working is an affective component, I therefore would like to disassociate myself with her, is a behavioural component and therefore I would avoid Maya.

Development of favourable attitude, and good relationship with Mina is but natural. Individual’s favorable behaviour is an outcome of the fact that Mina is hardworking. Cognitive and affective components are bases for such behaviour. Former two components cannot be seen, only the behaviour component can be seen. Former is important because it is a base for formation of attitude. These components are explained in Figure.

Essay # 4. Formation of Attitude:

Direct Experience with the Object:

Attitudes can develop from the personally rewarding or punishing experience with an object.

(a) Classical Conditioning:

People develop associations between various objects and the emotional reactions that accompany them.

(b) Operant Conditioning:

Attitudes that are reinforced, either verbally or nonverbally, tend to be maintained.

Vicarious Learning:

Where person learns something by the observation of others helps in attitude development where individual has no direct experience with the object of attitude.

Formation of attitudes is influenced by:

(i) Family and Peer Groups:

A person may learn attitude through the imitation of family members and peers.

(ii) Neighbourhood:

The neighbourhood has a certain structure in terms of having cultural facilities, religious groupings and possibly ethnic differences. The neighbours tolerate condone or deny certain attitudes.

Economic Status and Occupations of the Person:

Mass communication like news-paper, TV, radio etc.

These in turn give rise to development of one’s attitudes.

(a) Attitudes Help Predict Work Behavior:

The following example might help to illustrate it. After introducing a particular policy, it is found from an attitude survey, that the workers are not too happy about it. During the subsequent week it is found that the attendance of the employees drops sharply from the previous standard. Here management may conclude that a negative attitude toward new work rules led to increased absenteeism.

(b) Attitudes Help People to Adapt to their Work Environment:

An understanding of attitudes is also important because attitudes help the employees to get adjusted to their work. If the management can successfully develop a- positive attitude among the employees, they will be better adjusted to their work.

Essay # 5. Functions of Attitude :

According to Katz, attitudes serve four important functions from the viewpoint of organizational behaviour.

These are as follows:

(a) The Adjustment Function:

Attitudes often help people to adjust to their work environment. Well-treated employees tend to develop a positive attitude towards their job, management and the organization in general while berated and ill-treated organizational members develop a negative attitude. In other words, attitudes help employees adjust to their environment and form a basis for future behaviour.

(b) Utilitarian Function:

An attitude may develop because either the attitude or the attitude object is instrumental in helping one to obtain rewards or avoid punishments.

(c) Ego-Defensive Function:

Attitudes help people to retain their dignity and self- image. When a young faculty member who is full of fresh ideas and enthusiasm, joins the organization, the older members might feel somewhat threatened by him. But they tend to disapprove his creative ideas as ‘crazy’ and ‘impractical’ and dismiss him altogether.

(d) The Value-Expressive Function:

Attitudes provide individuals with a basis for expressing their values. For example, a manager who values hard and sincere work will be more vocal against an employee who is having a very casual approach towards work.

(e) The Knowledge Function:

Attitudes provide standards and frames of reference that allow people to understand and perceive the world around him. If one has a strong negative attitude towards the management, whatever the management does, even employee welfare programmes can be perceived as something ‘bad’ and as actually against them.

Essay # 6. Change of Attitudes :

Employees’ attitudes can be changed and sometimes it is in the best interests of managements to try to do so. For example, if employees believe that their employer does not look after their welfare, the management should try to change their attitude and help develop a more positive attitude in them.

However, the process of changing the attitude is not always easy. There are some barriers which have to be overcome if one strives to change somebody’s attitude.

There are two major categories of barriers that come in the way of changing attitudes:

1. Prior commitment when people feel a commitment towards a particular course of action that has already been agreed upon and thus it becomes difficult for them to change or accept the new ways of functioning.

2. Insufficient information also acts as a major barrier to change attitudes. Sometimes people simply see any reason to change their attitude due to unavailability of adequate information.

Some of the possible ways of changing attitudes are described below:

(a) Providing New Information:

Sometimes a dramatic change in attitude is possible only by providing relevant and adequate information to the person concerned. Scanty and incomplete information can be a major reason for brewing negative feeling and attitudes.

(b) Use of Fear:

Attitudes can be changed through the use of fear. People might resort to change their work habit for the fear of fear of unpleasant consequences. However, the degree of the arousal of fear will have to be taken into consideration as well.

(c) Resolving Discrepancies:

Whenever “people face” a dilemma or conflicting situation they feel confused in choosing a particular course of action. Like in the case where one is to choose from” between two alternative courses of action, it is often become difficult for him to decide which is right for him.

Even when he chooses one over the other, he might still feel confused. If someone helps him in pointing out the positive points in favour of the chosen course of action, the person might resolve the dilemma.

(d) Influence of Friends and Peers:

A very effective way of changing one’s attitude is through his friends and colleagues. Their opinion and recommendation for something often proves to be more important. If for example, they are all praise for a particular policy introduced in the work place, chances are high that an individual will slowly accept that even when he had initial reservations for that.

(e) Co-Opting:

If you want to change the attitude of somebody who belongs to a different group, it is often becomes very effective if you can include him in your own group. Like in the case of the union leader who are all the time vehemently against any management decision, can be the person who takes active initiative in implementing a new policy when he had participated in that decision making process himself.

Essay # 7. Types of Attitude :

1. Job Satisfaction:

Job satisfaction is related to general attitude towards the job. A person having a high level of satisfaction will generally hold a positive attitude while dissatisfied people will generally display negative attitude towards life. When we talk about attitude, we generally speak about job satisfaction because they are inter-related in organizational behaviour.

2. Job Involvement:

Job involvement refers to the degree to which a person identifies himself (psychologically) with his job, actively participates and considers his perceived performance level important to self-worth. (Robbins). High level of involvement indicates that the individual cares for his job that has an impact on high productivity. Higher the job satisfaction, lower will be absenteeism and employee turnover.

3. Organizational Commitment:

Organizational commitment refers to degree to which an employee identifies himself with the organizational goals and wishes to maintain membership in the organization. He wants to “belong” to the organization and take an active part in its functioning.

Absenting or resigning from the job versus job satisfaction is a predictor of organizational commitment. The concept has been very popular in the recent times. Organizational commitment depends upon job enrichment factor and degree to which the workers enjoy autonomy and freedom of action while performing.

Nature of Employee Attitudes :

Attitudes are the feelings and beliefs that largely determine how employees will perceive their environment, commit themselves to intended actions and ultimately behave. Managers of organizational behavior are vitally interested in the nature of the attitudes of their employees toward their jobs, toward their careers and toward the organization itself. Employee attitudes which are important to employers are Job satisfaction, Job Involvement, Organizational Commitment and Work moods.

Moderating Variables for Attitude in Organization:

1. Importance of the attitude

2. Specificity of the attitude

3. Accessibility of the attitude

4. Social pressures on the individual

5. Direct experience with the attitude

Essay # 8. Theories of Attitude :

(a) Cognitive dissonance

(b) Self-perception theory

(a) Cognitive Dissonance Theory :

Tension arises when we are aware of two simultaneously inconsistent cognitions. To reduce the dissonance, we change our attitudes so that they will correspond to our actions. We correct discrepancies between attitudes & behaviors. Festinger’s Famous Cognitive Dissonance Study Had Ss perform dull tasks (turning knobs).

Afterwards, Ss were told the study was on how expectations affect performance. Experimenter asked Ss to tell a new S outside that the experiment was really exciting. Ss were either given $1 or $20 to lie. Ss told the new S (confederate) how great the experiment was & then filled out a questionnaire asking how much they liked the study.

Those who earned $1 were more likely to say they liked the study. Why? We often experience dissonance when making big decisions. To reduce the dissonance after making our choice, we upgrade the chosen alternative and downgrade the unchosen option.

(b) Self-Perception Theory :

When unsure of our attitudes, we examine our behavior & the circumstances under which it occurs. Wells & Petty (1980) had Ss test headphone sets by making either vertical or horizontal head movements while listening to a radio editorial. Those nodding their heads up & down agreed with the editorial most as it is associated with “yes” responses.

Related Articles:

• How Attitude Influences Our Behaviour
• Attitude: Compilation of Essays on Attitude | Human Behaviour | Psychology
• Essay on Human Behaviour: Top 5 Essays | Psychology
• Essay on Stress: Top 7 Essays | Human Behaviour | Psychology

Attitude , Essay , Essay on Attitude , Human Behaviour , Psychology

Essay on Positive Thinking

Positive thinking refers to a belief or mental attitude which makes us think that good things will happen eventually and our efforts will pay off sooner or later. It is the opposite of negative thinking which makes our mind full of stress and fear. Thus, an essay on positive thinking will show us how it reinforces thoughts like optimism and hope and works wonders.

Benefits of Positive Thinking

Let it be clear that positive thinking does not mean you do not notice the bad things in life. It means you try to find a solution in a productive way instead of whining about it. There are many benefits of positive thinking.

The first one is better health. Negative thinking gives rise to anxiety, stress, frustration and more. However, positive thinking helps you avoid all this and focus on staying healthy and doing better in life.

Further, it is essential for us to fight depression which positive thinking helps with. Similarly, it will also help us to relieve stress. Positive thinking overwhelms stress and it will allow you to get rid of stress.

As a result, positive thinking helps you live longer. It is because you will be free from diseases that form due to stress, anxiety and more. Moreover, it is also the key to success. Meaning to say, success becomes easier when you don’t bash yourself up.

Similarly, it also gives us more confidence. It boosts our self-esteem and helps in becoming more confident and self-assured. Therefore, we must certainly adopt positive thinking to make the most of our lives.

How to Build a Positive Thinking

There are many ways through which we can build positive thinking. To begin with, we must inculcate the habit of reading motivational and inspiring stories of people who are successful.

All this will help in motivating and inspiring you and showing you the right path. Moreover, it is important to never let negative thoughts thrive in your mind and work towards putting end to this habit.

You can do so by replacing your negative thoughts with constructive and positive reviews. Start to pay attention to your ideas and don’t pay heed to negative thoughts. Further, it is helpful to use affirmations.

These positive statements will truly sink into your subconscious mind and guide you to take better action. It will also help in visualising your dreams and getting the right means to achieve them fast.

Finally, always stay guard and gatekeep your mind to make important changes in life. In other words, do not be afraid to take actions. Keep yourself busy and do different things to avoid becoming cynical and remaining positive.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Conclusion of the Essay on Positive Thinking

To conclude, we must change our attitude and believe that we will succeed one day. Moreover, we also need to implement positive thinking techniques which will help us learn from our failures and stay focused. As positive thinking plays an essential role in our lives, we must make sure to adopt in our lives.

FAQ of Essay on Positive Thinking

Question 1: What is positive thinking?

Answer 1: Positive thinking is basically an optimistic attitude. In other words, it is the practice of focusing on the good in any given situation. This kind of thinking can have a big impact on your physical and mental health .

Question 2: Why is positive thinking important?

Answer 2: Positive thinking is important as it helps us with stress management and can even improve our health. Moreover, some studies show that personality traits like optimism can affect many areas of our health and well-being. Thus, positive thinking comes with optimism

Customize your course in 30 seconds

Which class are you in.

• Travelling Essay
• Picnic Essay
• Our Country Essay
• My Parents Essay
• Essay on Favourite Personality
• Essay on Memorable Day of My Life
• Essay on Knowledge is Power
• Essay on Gurpurab
• Essay on My Favourite Season
• Essay on Types of Sports

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Download the App

Your Article Library

Essay on attitude.

ADVERTISEMENTS:

Attitude is the mental state of individuals, which tends to act or respond or is ready to respond for or against objects, situations, etc. with which their vested feelings or effect, interest, liking, desire and so on are directly or indirectly linked or associated.During the course of development the person acquires tendencies to respond to objects. These learned cognitive mechanisms are called attitudes.

Attitude is an enduring evaluation—positive or negative—of people, objects, and ideas. Thus, attitudes are evaluative statements or judgments concerning objects, people, or events. Attitude has three components—cognition, affection, and behaviour of people. A particular attitude of a person can be based on one component or the other.

Cognitive-based attitude is primarily based on beliefs and properties of an attitudinal object. Cognitive component of an attitude is the opinion or belief segment of an attitude. Cognitive dissonance theory helps us to trace any incompatibility between two or more attitudes or between behaviour and attitudes.

Affection-based attitude stems from people’s feelings (e.g., attitudes towards political candidates). Affective component is the emotion or feeling segment of an attitude. Behaviour-based attitude is based on the self-perception of one’s own behaviour when the initial attitude is weak or ambiguous.

Behavioural component of an attitude is an intention to behave in a certain way towards someone or something. The affection-behaviour (A- B) relationship acts as moderating variables (i.e., importance, specificity, accessibility, social pressures, and direct experience). The self-perception theory uses attitudes after the event, to make sense out of an action taken. For organizational behaviour, the people’s attitude is especially significant, as job satisfaction, job involvement, and organizational commitment largely stem from an individual employee’s attitude.

Job satisfaction refers to the general attitude of employees towards their job. Job involvement helps in psychological identification of people with their job, while organizational commitment is the degree to which an employee identifies with a particular organization and its goals, and wishes to maintain membership in the organization. In an organization, people seek consistency among their attitudes and seek to reconcile with divergent attitudes in order to appear rational and consistent.

An attitudinal change in a person takes place with change in the behaviour. The cognitive dissonance theory facilitates change of attitude through behavioural reinforcement. Persuasive communication and focus on a particular issue facilitate such change of attitude.

Haviland et al. proposed the Yale Attitude Change Model, which suggests study of conditions under which people are most likely to change their attitudes. (The Yale Attitude Change Model focuses on effectiveness of persuasive communication, which depends on the credibility and attractiveness of the speakers.)

These conditions are source of communication (i.e., credible speaker), nature of communication, and the nature of audience, etc. Communication between a doctor and a patient on a medical issue (communication source), communication that does not intend to influence people (nature of communication), and persuasive communication to distract an audience within the age group of 18-25 are likely to yield better results in attitudinal changes.

Elaboration-likelihood model (Petty and Cacioppo 1981), on the other hand, shows that people change their attitudes in two ways—concept (central route to persuasion) and conditions for central route to persuasion (motivation). Central route to persuasion motivates people to pay attention to the facts in a communicated message. When facts are logical and compelling, attitudinal changes take place promptly.

Therefore, the contents of the messages are especially important. On the contrary, when facts are not compelling, people get swayed only by peripheral cues such as mood, emotion, attractiveness of the speaker, etc. Such peripheral cues may facilitate to enhance motivation but not the attitudinal changes. The conditions for central route to persuasion are reinforcing motivation by focusing on personal relevance so that people can pay attention to the arguments.

Emotion’s influence on attitude changes depends on the routes to persuasion. Emotion or mood manipulation is only effective for peripheral route to persuasion. People pay more attention to a speech when the argument is strong and effective in changing their attitudes. People in a sad mood take the central route to persuasion, while in a happy mood they take the peripheral route to persuasion.

Therefore, attitudinal changes take place when people take the central route to persuasion, such as fear, greatness of harm, etc., which give better results in inducing attitudinal changes. Therefore, managers should use the central route to persuasion, duly inducing the arousal of fear and combining it with a persuasive and appealing message.

In managing organizational behaviour, like personality and emotional intelligence, an individual employee also differs in terms of attitude. Eagly and Chaiken (1993) defined attitude as ‘a psychological tendency that is expressed by evaluating a particular entity with some degree of favour or dis-favour’. Yet, from another perspective, attitude is defined as the way we reflect our values. For example, innate value systems of employees may make them optimistic, always looking at the brighter side and working smartly to get a positive outcome.

They not only nurture such value-laden attitudes in their own behaviour but also view others from the same perspective. The concept of attitude has a rich history (Fleming 1967). Once used to describe the spatial orientation of physical objects such as statues, the concept has evolved to refer to a person’s mental and neural state of readiness (Allport 1935).

The function of attitudes is to guide the formation of behavioural intentions. Attitude formation and change is viewed as a process of deliberative evaluation and belief updating. Attitudes are thought to impact behaviour indirectly via behavioural intentions.

Definition and Concepts :

Attitude is the mental state of individuals, which tends to act or respond or is ready to respond for or against objects, situations, etc. with which their vested feelings or effect, interest, liking, desire and so on are directly or indirectly linked or associated. During the course of development the person acquires tendencies to respond to objects. These learned cognitive mechanisms are called attitudes. Changes in knowledge are followed by the change in attitudes.

Attitudes are different from knowledge in the sense that attitudes are emotion-laden. Knowledge reinforces attitudes and reinforced attitudes in the long run reinforce individual and group behaviour. Hence, attitude is neither behaviour nor cause of behaviour but it relates to an intervening pre­disposition or a frame of reference that influences the behaviour of an individual.

When the interest, feeling, etc. of individuals are not connected in any way with the object or situation, their responses (towards the said object or situation) will then constitute their opinions and not their attitudes. In many research works, especially by CIPD, UK, employee attitudes and commitments were found to be strongly associated with business perfor­mance, and managers saw employee voice as contributing to performance via better employee contributions and productivity gains.

The informal cli­mate of involvement and consultation appears to be more strongly associated with employee satisfaction and commitment than the collective machinery for negotiation and consultation. Mechanisms in use for employee voice in­clude two-way communications, project teams, and joint consultation, but there is a growing interest in the electronic media, attitude surveys, and part­nership schemes.

The major constraints on employee voice are lack of skills and enthusiasm by managers and employees. The psychological contract model, validated by successive employee attitude surveys, suggests that HR practices strongly affect the way people feel about their work.

Employees’ trust in the organization, their sense of being fairly treated, and the extent to which they believe their employer has delivered on the implicit deal between them affects their attitudes towards job satisfaction, commitment, work-life balance, and the state of employee relations. Attitude essentially stems from three underlying components: the cognitive component, affective component, and behavioural component.

Social psychologists differentiate between these attitudinal components as under:

1. Cognitive component of an attitude is the opinion or belief segment of an attitude. Attitudinal responses of people, which stem from cognitive component, mainly reflect expression of beliefs (e.g., expectancy-value judgments) and nonverbal reactions.

2. Affective component is the emotion or feeling segment of an attitude, and it manifests in verbal expressions of feelings and physiological changes in the organism (e.g., increase of arousal).

3. Behavioural component of an attitude is an intention to behave in a cer­tain way towards someone or something. It is reflected through behavioural intentions and actions.

Attitude theory and research deals with the structure, function, formation, and change of attitudes, and is also concerned with the relationship between attitudes and behaviour. For example, the model of reasoned action (Fishbein and Ajzen 1975) provides a comprehensive approach to all of these aspects.

In this model, the internal structure of an attitude is described in terms of beliefs (expectations), which relate the attitude object (a behavioural alternative) to evaluated attributes. The function of attitudes is to guide the formation of behavioural intentions.

Attitude formation and change is viewed as a process of deliberative evaluation and belief updating. Attitudes are thought to impact behaviour indirectly via behavioural intentions. More recent approaches, however, assume that a deliberative calculation of expectancy and values is not a necessary condition for either intention formation or attitude formation and change.

According to a study conducted by Zajonc in 1980, there is ample evidence to suggest that liking of an attitude object can be enhanced simply by increasing its presentation frequency. Furthermore, attitudes, if they are frequently activated from memory, tend to become activated automatically in the presence of the attitude object and then directly impact behavioural decisions (Fazio 1990).

Related Articles:

• Attitude and Social Cognition (FAQ)
• Attitude: Nature, Components and Formation

Comments are closed.

Three Essays on Gender and Development

This dissertation consists of three essays on gender and development. The first essay of this dissertation is the first to evaluate the gendered effects of child grants on patterns of time allocation across SNA (System of National Accounts) production work, household maintenance, care work, leisure, self-care, and other non-work activities. SNA production work includes paid market work, subsistence and informal work, job search, and other production activities which standard labor market indicators generally fail to capture. In this essay, I use data from the 2010 South Africa Time Use Survey on grant-eligible single parents aged 20-54 years to estimate a system of equations describing the time allocation of single parents. I address the endogeneity of the key grant receipt parameter using a probit model with an originally-constructed instrumental variable, regional median travel time to the welfare office. I find that single fathers living in grant recipient households reduce SNA production work by 22.5 percent (61.5 minutes per day) and single mothers by 61.5 percent (116.3 minutes per day). Single parents primarily redistribute their reduced SNA production work time to household maintenance and care work. Single fathers increase their time in household maintenance and care work by 72.2 percent (81.8 minutes per day) and single mothers by 62.8 percent (142.1minutes per day), respectively. This rise in household maintenance and care work leads to an overall increase in total work time, especially of single mothers. Single mothers living in grant recipient households increase their total work time by 5.4 percent, which is an increase of 25.8 minutes per day. A series of robustness checks confirms the results. The second essay of this dissertation focuses on measuring the impact of unpaid elder caregiving in the US on labor force participation. The essay also explores the association between unpaid elder caregiving and time use of the caregivers. The need for better understanding and measuring unpaid eldercare has become an urgent and pressing issue given the trend towards population aging. This study takes into account the diversity of eldercare arrangements and focuses on those who provide unpaid eldercare on a frequent basis (daily or several times a week). Using 2011-17 American Time Use Survey data for a subsample of individuals aged 25-61-years old, the essay examines the effect of frequent eldercare provision on labor force participation using a bivariate probit IV approach. The study also examines the time allocation pattern of frequent eldercare providers using multivariate regression method. The findings suggest that frequent eldercare provision reduces labor force participation, especially among male caregivers. Additionally, frequent eldercare provision is associated with more time spent on domestic chores and significantly less time on market work and self-care. Robustness and sensitivity checks confirm these findings. Finally, the third essay of this dissertation evaluates the relationship between sex-based attitudes of mothers and stunting among children in India. India is in a major malnutrition crisis, topping the list of countries with the largest number of stunted children. In this essay, I examine the relationship between three distinct attitudes of mothers (pro-boy, egalitarian, and pro-girl) and stunting among boys and girls of age 0-14 years in India using the Indian Human Development Survey (IHDS) 2004-05. I estimate a probit model to assess the association between mothers’ attitudes and childhood stunting. The findings suggest that having egalitarian attitudes is not associated with stunting among their children. However, mothers with pro-girl attitudes are 8 and 10 percentage points less likely to observe stunting among their girls and boys, respectively. Additional analysis by wealth categories shows that stunting among girls reduces by 15 percentage points when they have mothers with pro-girl attitudes, and they live in wealthy households. Robustness tests conducted with “severely stunted” as the dependent variable confirm the findings.

Usage metrics