Going the Extra Smile

Over the years, numerous studies — including the one discussed here — have found that not only do positive attitudes affect employee satisfaction, but also productivity. As such, it should come as no surprise that when an Advisor approaches us about hiring a new member of their team, a positive attitude is oftentimes at the top of the list (and if it isn’t on theirs, it certainly is on ours).

“But I’m a happy person — I’m an absolute delight to be around,” you say? Of course you are! However, when it comes to being a positive person vs. a positive employee, there are a couple more dynamics that you might want to take into consideration.

First off, your coworkers did not choose you. There are numerous personalities in a typical office setting. Kathy two cubes over may not be your cup of tea, nor you hers, but putting on a smile and helping one another complete tasks as seamlessly as possible will help to minimize stress and increase production. The upside? Fewer late nights working with Kathy. Keep those positive attitudes going and you might even find that you and (previously) Krabby Kathy are staring down the BFF Bridge, ready to take the plunge into buying matching heart necklaces. No? It’s worth a shot.

Secondly, the workplace is often a high-stress environment. Why exacerbate the issue with a foul attitude? Don’t be that guy/gal. Remove stress from the situation with a can-do, positive outlook and maybe it’ll rub off on everyone else. Attitude is contagious — think of it as osmosis — and as we mentioned before, positive attitude increases productivity. Before you know it, you’re checking off all those stressful little tasks on a list that had previously seemed insurmountable. Look at you with your bad (but super positive) self.

Still not sure if you’re on track to be the star employee? No problem. We’ll make this easy on you. Now, without further ado, we give you 10 tips for increasing positivity — both yours and your coworkers’ — within the workplace:

1. Be on time
2. Maintain a strong work ethic
3. Always put in effort
4. Acknowledge and adjust body language, as appropriate
5. Lend energy to all that you do
6. Smile — nobody likes an Eeyore
7. Have passion for your position
8. Be open and coachable to new ideas
9. Go the extra mile
10. Always be prepared