How to handle employees with bad attitudes

Negativity is an unfortunate fact of life. It would be great if everyone was happy and positive all the time, but as we all know, that’s as likely as finding a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow.

Negativity in the workplace however, can be its own beast.

Having one or multiple members of staff with a negative attitude can happen for a variety of reasons, from personal issues, such as mental health, to feeling a lack of purpose in their role. Sometimes a negative attitude might be unavoidable, but it’s what you do to help that can make a real difference.

It's important to recognise that a bad mood is usually temporary, while a negative attitude tends to be persistent and can have a more lasting impact on the workplace environment and morale.

Let’s jump in and see how, as a line manager, you can better handle staff with a negative attitude; why you should help and what a negative attitude could mean for your business.

 

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Decreased performance and productivity

Causes of negative attitude

How to handle an employee with a bad attitude 

Supporting the employee to find a resolution

Adverse effects on other staff and the business

Make sure negativity is not creeping out of the business

 

Decreased performance and productivity

One of the most common results of having staff with a negative attitude is a decrease in performance and productivity. A negative attitude can be looked at the opposite of employee engagement, and when employees have a positive emotional investment in their company, productivity goes up.

When productivity is down there are a number of ways to tackle the problem, like
onboarding.

When employees are effectively inducted into the company culture, have set goals and a clear idea of their role they are more likely to feel welcomed and happy from the very beginning.

Higher job satisfaction, resulting from a strong onboarding process and positive culture, is closely linked to increased productivity levels and more positive attitudes at work and better performance.

Use Breathe’s Induction Process Guide to ensure your new starters get off on the right foot.  

Causes of negative attitude

Any good gardener will tell you that you need to deal with the roots if you want to stop a weed from growing. In the workplace, this means identifying the root cause of negative employee attitudes to effectively address and resolve the issue.

A negative attitude can manifest in many different ways, from being uncooperative, tardiness, poor behaviour, constant complaining, rudeness to customers or other members of staff to general moaning and unhappiness.

Providing specific examples of poor behaviour and negative employee attitudes can help managers and team members clearly identify and address these issues.

But before trying to cure the symptom you need to find the cause. When giving feedback, it's important to use examples and specific examples to make your points clear and actionable.

Identifying what's causing negative behaviour

You don’t have to wait for annual reviews or an allotted check-in to do this. Just set a meeting for a mutually beneficial time to discuss what the issue could be.

Scheduling a private meeting ensures confidentiality and allows the team member to speak openly. During the talk, focus on providing constructive feedback and encourage honest communication to address concerns effectively.

A formal meeting may not be a comfortable atmosphere, so consider keeping it casual.

Be understanding not accusatory, and understand that it may be a difficult subject for the person to bring up. Give assurances that you want what is best for them and the business.

Sometimes, issues in personal lives or personal disagreements with another team member can contribute to a negative attitude.

From there, you can begin to formulate a plan to help them get back on track.

As a line manager, it's important to provide regular feedback and monitor progress after the initial conversation to support ongoing improvement.

How to handle employees with bad attitudes

“Difficult”, “problematic” and “not easy to work with” aren't ways any employee wants to be thought of. And if it’s out of character, chances are the person is aware of how they’re behaving.

When approaching a staff member to discuss their attitude, be sure that it’s in a one-to-one setting.

It's important for a line manager to set clear expectations for behaviour during this conversation. The line manager is responsible for dealing with bad behaviour and must proactively tackle employees who display negative attitudes.

Calling them out in front of other staff members is unlikely to do you any favours.

When dealing with a difficult employee, consider strategies that address the underlying causes of their behaviour and support positive change.

Tips for discussing the issue:

• Tell them what behaviour of theirs you've noticed. Dancing around the subject or only talking about it vaguely could result in even more confusion and lead to no resolution at all. Provide specific examples of the behaviour and offer constructive feedback to help clarify your concerns. 
• When someone sees you being honest they’re more likely to reciprocate, leading to a more fruitful discussion.
• It sounds obvious, but kindness can go a long way to resolving a lot of problems – a good listener and a chance to get something off their chest might be all it takes. Consider how the behaviour is affecting the team member and overall team morale. For example, you might say, "When you express frustration during meetings, it can impact the team's motivation. I wanted to share this as constructive feedback so we can work together on a solution."

   

Supporting the employee to find a resolution 

Once you’ve identified the issue causing the negative attitude and discussed it, then you’re ready to find a resolution.

The outcome of these meetings should provide you with a clear idea of what is bothering your employee and together you can find a way to make it a thing of the past. 

As part of the resolution process, make sure to recognise and reward employees for their positive contributions, which helps foster a positive workplace culture and supports employee wellbeing.

One way to do this is to treat each situation like a mini staff appraisal. By going through the process of regular check-ins, focusing on positives and feedback both you and your employee will be able to measure how they are feeling since implementing a meaningful strategy.

Adverse effects on other staff and the business

Leave a negative attitude to fester and it may become a self-fulfilling prophecy: a problematic attitude leads to a lack of interest, which leads to poor performance, which leads to a lack of purpose, which leads back to a negative attitude.

The harmful effects of negative employees and toxic employees can quickly spread to the whole team, damaging team morale and overall productivity.

Try to nip any problem in the bud before it has any chance of spreading further in your team. It’s important to deal with negative behaviour quickly to stop it from spreading to the rest of the team.

Make sure negativity is not affecting business

One of the absolute worst things a negative attitude could do to your business is sabotage or affect customer relations - as well as your organisational culture. 

When addressing an employee's negativity or an employee's bad attitude, it's important to follow company policies, especially if disciplinary action or termination is required as a last resort.

If left unchecked the negativity could be doing harm to your company image and culture or even your customer base. 

Employee's negativity can also negatively impact decision-making by reducing open communication and collaboration. Fostering a positive work environment is essential to encourage teamwork and maintain high morale.

With the relationship between businesses and society closer than ever, it's important that your employees are a positive representation of your brand and your values.

When you can turn a negative experience into a positive one you may be able to make an employee’s experience at your business better than they ever thought. Taking the time and attention to focus on both employees who are doing well and others who aren’t will lead to an overall stronger team.

FAQs

Q: What causes a negative attitude at work?
A: A negative attitude can stem from several factors, including personal stress, feeling undervalued, lack of role clarity, poor team dynamics, or conflicts with colleagues. Identifying the root cause is key to resolving the issue effectively.

Q: How can managers identify an employee’s negative behaviour?
A: Look for consistent patterns such as frequent complaints, uncooperative behaviour, tardiness, or disengagement. Schedule a private conversation to discuss your observations and gather the employee’s perspective.

Q: How should you approach an employee with a bad attitude?
A: Always address the issue in a private, one-to-one setting. Be honest but empathetic - explain the specific behaviours you’ve noticed, their impact on the team, and invite open dialogue to find solutions together.

Q: What are the best ways to support an employee to improve their attitude?
A: After identifying the cause, work with the employee to create an action plan. Offer regular check-ins, feedback, and recognition to encourage progress and reinforce positive behaviour.

Q: How can a negative attitude affect the wider team?
A: Persistent negativity can lower team morale, reduce productivity, and spread dissatisfaction across the business. It’s essential to address the issue early to protect overall team wellbeing and performance.

Q: When should disciplinary action be considered?
A: If the employee’s behaviour continues to impact others despite support and clear feedback, follow your company’s disciplinary procedures. Ensure all actions are fair, consistent, and documented.

Q: How can businesses prevent negativity from affecting company culture?
A: Build a positive work environment through strong onboarding, clear communication, recognition programmes, and a culture of openness. This helps reinforce positive attitudes and prevents negativity from taking hold.