Organizations have a variety of individuals with distinct personalities who will likely clash against each other or the organization’s system at some moment or the other.
Here we will discuss how successful managers deal with employee discontent.
Dealing with employee Frustration in a group is an essential element of managing.
The first step to resolving employee discontent in the workplace is recognizing it. the good news is that it’s easy to spot once you know what to be looking for. These are the typical signs of unhappy employees.
Common indicators of employees who are unhappy
They can be emotional and have outbursts
A majority of people ignore their frustration, hoping it will ease in its own time until they’re unable to keep it in check any longer and so it comes out in an emotional outburst that is often caused by an incident that isn’t at all directly related to the source of the anger. For instance, employees who are unhappy with not being promoted may be prone to emotional outbursts over the printer at the office that isn’t working.
They stop trying
If an employee that was previously proactive and always thinking of innovative ideas and suggesting potential improvements, suddenly is unable to contribute to meetings, it’s an indication of discontentment from the employee.
They are less productive.
Team members who are frustrated do not have the energy to concentrate on their duties as they tend to spend most of their time thinking about the cause of their discontent or expressing their frustration to their colleagues.
They turn cynical
If an employee is constantly poking holes into others’ suggestions, claiming that everything is useless, and taking a more negative attitude towards their job This is a further indication of discontent.
It is a blame game.
Sometimes, employees vent their frustration by placing the blame for their shortcomings or failures on some other person or thing even though the facts don’t agree with the accusations.
Enhance employee engagement for under two minutes
They are withdrawn.
Some employees react to their discontent by refusing to work completely. They might also use sick time even when being perfectly healthy, request the transfer of their company, or issue resignation notices.
What are the causes of employee discontent?
The most common causes of frustration are:
- Uncertainties due to inadequate communication
- being under pressure because of unrealistic expectations
- Inadequate appreciation and appreciation from the managers
- Inconsistent, untrue management feedback;
- workplace bullying and office politics in the workplace
- little opportunities for career advancement;
- Inefficient and slow-moving procedures and policies of the company;
- unjust working conditions and compensation
- being controlled by their supervisors direct being controlled by their supervisory direct
- Being heard, but not being listened to (there’s an obvious contrast)
How do you handle anger?
If you’ve figured out the causes and signs of employee discontent in your organization, here’s what you can do about it:
Take care to handle frustration as soon you notice it
If you see a frustrated employee it’s easy to allow the stress to be resolved in its own time, but this can result in a negative outcome. Contact them as soon as you can. You don’t need an answer in hand, but the most important issue is to communicate to the employee who is frustrated and everyone else the fact that you’re conscious of what’s at hand.
Let them air
Emotional intelligence is crucial when it comes to leadership. If employees are unhappy and angry, they must vent, especially to someone who’s in an authority position like you. Give them the opportunity to vent their frustration.
Show sincere concern
People are prone to vent because they want to make you feel concerned about their anger, and this is not the right time to remain calm and calm. It is the time to show how strong you are. Make them feel that you care and pay attention to them.
Make sure you’re on the same page as them.
It’s crucial to show to the employee who is frustrated that you’re willing to help to resolve the issue. Remind them of their frustrations using your personal words in order to ensure that you’re on the same level as them.
Thank them for sharing.
Be aware that employees tend to be reluctant to voice their opinions to their bosses, so be sure that you recognize and praise the courage it took your employee to be open and honest with you.
Get to the root of the problem
Ask the unhappy employee “why?” until you determine the real cause of frustration, which is the root of the issue. It’s possible to uncover some unpleasant realities however, it’s all to your advantage.
Find a solution to the problem using them
Discuss the employee’s frustration with (and perhaps even the entire team) to come up with a feasible solution to the issue. This is the perfect time to let emotions go and think through what must (or could) be done.
Be honest
The most damaging thing you could do to an employee who is unhappy is to provide them with false hopes. If the solution you’ve talked about with them is going to require some time to implement or is out of your control, inform them instead of doing whatever you can to soothe them since the anger will return 10-fold.
What not to do
Resolving employee anger is a difficult task and it’s crucial for supervisors to be aware of not just what they can do and not do, but also what they should be avoiding doing:
- Don’t be a victim in cases where your frustrations are caused by conflicts with employees.
- Do not try to outdo them, as it creates the impression that you believe the issue isn’t important for you.
- Do not dwell too much on the past. Instead, concentrate on the present and ways you can improve your life.
- Do not correct minor errors when they speak it, as this can only upset the already stressed employee.
- Don’t propose solutions unilaterally No matter what your intentions are, but make sure to include them.
- Don’t begin quoting corporate policies because they do not care or would like to alter them.
- Do not insist that they remain at peace while they vent. This will only anger and make them even more frustrated.
In Summary
It is a difficult emotion to handle on a personal basis or even manage with others. If left unchecked, the frustration of employees within the workplace can grow and, eventually, explodes, causing disruption in teamwork, productivity, or overall morale.
This is the reason managers must always be looking for employees who are unhappy and make sure they address their concerns in the shortest time possible.
