Having the proper attitude towards work and earnings is the key to success. And nurturing the proper attitude for success depends almost wholly upon you. The same equation applies in handling adverse workplaces. The adversity or its consequences change faster in your favor if you change your attitudes and approaches.
There is little need to explain an adverse workplace in detail: if you find external inputs and stimuli in the workplace, which hamper your work and physical or mental well-being, then the situation is adverse. Though it is impossible to enumerate a list of adverse situations in a workplace since things differ from person to person, still there are some common adverse situations we often face at work. These include:
- Uncooperative middle management
- Obnoxious colleagues
- Bad boss
- Such a good boss that he keeps on increasing your workload every day without any concurrent raises in pay (these people are usually so fun-filled that they think raising your pay is the most insignificant thought in the world, and will change the topic to funny stories every time you try to ask for a raise).
- Supervisors who believe in micromanagement and will go to the extent of creating misleading appraisals
- Incompetent colleagues who believe your expertise is a threat to their existence
- Bullies
- Gossipers and time-wasters
- Credit stealers, who steal the credit for your hard work
So, why does one need to take a closer look at adverse workplaces? To an extent, every workspace contains elements of adversity that we choose to ignore or win over. If they get out of hand, they often provoke us to anger or mistakes, affect productivity, and leads to a situation where you find dragging yourself to office against your wishes. This is the worst that can happen to a worker. If you don't like a job because of low pay, it is understandable, but if you are in a situation where you don't like the workplace because of things extraneous to your work, then something needs to be done. And that something cannot be any impulsive reaction to the situation, but careful change in attitude and approaches.
In adverse workplace situations, often communication, or lack of it is the problem that needs to be addressed primarily. Whatever be the problem, either learn to accept it as a part of the situation, or find ways to open a dialogue with whoever can solve the problem.
Never be vengeful. An eye for an eye is not a principle that holds in modern workplaces. Many people feed off visible evidence of emotional distress in others, so the first thing is never to lose control or give away that you are disturbed under any situation. If you are disturbed, then you need to find a solution, reacting to situations in a negative manner, or letting your impulses get the better of you will always worsen matters.
Approach the right person who can address a problem. Neglecting to approach your boss with a problem, but venting your feelings before other employees, who are not in a position to take a decision on the matter that is disturbing you, is bad policy. Whenever, you feel a problem, take assertive action and approach a decision-maker, do not expose your feelings to those who can't help.
Maintaining good relations at your workplace can make it a joy to work and boost your physical and mental well being. Sometimes, that is even more important than the money you are earning. This is the reason why companies have long-time employees who refuse to shift even upon offers of better pay. These people have managed to win over adversities of their workplace and turned it into a comfort zone. That is the best you can do in a workplace: feel comfortable and in control. For that you might need some trade-offs and changing your attitude and approach is a part of solving the riddle.