Difficult people exist at every workplace. It can be even harder to deal with them if they are targeting you and not a group of employees. Whether they compete with you for privilege and attention, fail to keep their commitments, think they must have the last word or try to malign you in front of your boss, they will affect your job performance and self esteem. If you keep ignoring the situation, it will fester to the point that you will lose your temper and feel miserable going to work every day.

It’s far better to address the situation early on, while you can still maintain objectivity and emotional control. Here are some ways you can proactively defuse the situation and get along to make the work life easier and more pleasant.

Have an honest conversation

Make an attempt, as hard as it can be, to provide constructive feedback and ask for feedback on you own behaviour. Clearly explain the impact the behaviour is having on you and don’t assume the person will suddenly wake up and realize the error of their ways. Share a story that the person can relate to and look from outside as a third party.

Talk to a trusted friend

When you’re being attacked by such a co-worker, it can often be difficult to objectively assess your options as you might be afraid of making the situation worse. Seeking the unbiased opinion of a friend can be a good idea which will also help vent your frustrations.

Discuss the situation with your boss

When you’ve exhausted all other options and you think that the person will not cooperate unless he or she is talked to by authority, disclose the matter to your boss. Suggest to your boss to hold meetings that remind team norms and address some of the conflicts on the team.  A session that helps team members gain insight into one another’s perspective and increases peer to peer accountability.

When you’re dealing with difficult coworkers, there is no question that you’re suffering from the situation, personally and professionally. Approaching the predicament and resolving it is not easy and it takes a lot of energy and courage. However, when you commit to change things for the better, and you follow rational steps, you are likely to see improvement.

 

 

Check out this article to explore more ways.

Mental health in the workplace can be described as workers and managers actively contributing to the working environment by promoting as well as protecting the well-being of all employees. If employees with mental health conditions receive the right support, they can be as productive, involved and purposeful as other employees.

Mental illnesses have an extremely negative impact on company bottom-line, costing billions of dollars in absenteeism or sick days, presenteeism, disability and other benefits and lost productivity. Thus it’s very important that employers recognize the signs of mental illness and help employees strengthen their mental health.

Depression and anxiety disorders are the most common mental illnesses that affect mental health in the workplace. Like other illnesses, mental disorders are episodic and can also be managed similarly; with prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation.

Prevention

Promote mental health by developing the positive aspects of work as well as the strengths of employees. Involve employees in decision making that conveys a feeling of participation and empowerment. Be supportive of a healthy work-life balance by allowing flexible hours where possible and reasonable vacation time.

Diagnosis

Mental health issues can simultaneously result in absenteeism and presenteeism. Observe the length of time that employees are off or sick. On the other hand, keep an eye out on how productive they are when they are physically at work. Since mental and physical health are related, employees suffering from mental health might also be complaining from pains or fatigue.

Treatment

Think of mental health treatment as an investment. Beware of astigmatism and treat all employees equally and respectfully regardless of their mental conditions. Keep all communications confidential. Inform your employees that support is available. Make treatment programs more accessible and provide options, including telephone intervention, for those who don’t want to see a therapist in person.

Rehabilitation

Believe in your employees’ capacity to recover and encourage them to believe in their own abilities which will result in strengthened skills to manage emotional states. Foster trusting relationships that employees feel valued in. 

Mental health interventions should be delivered as part of an integrated health and well-being strategy that covers prevention, early identification, support and rehabilitation. Workplace mental health improvement programs that are based on best practices can have a positive impact on the physical and psychological well-being of the workers and company return on investment concurrently.

 

 

Refer to this article to read more on mental health and astigmatism.

Life is often messy and personal issues affect us all. The importance is being able to stop them from affecting your performance at work. Below are 5 Ways to Stop Personal Issues from Affecting Your Work:

1. Talk to your boss

We’re all people and have our own issues that we face. If you find yourself struggling with something, have a chat with your boss or employer to let them know what you’re going through. Explain that you’re working on it and that a decline in performance is temporary while you sort it out. Communication is an imperative tool in any situation. Acknowledging that there is an issue before your performance suffers will fare much better than having a conversation after the fact. Your boss may think that you are lazy or unmotivated without communication.

2. Set Digital Boundaries

Social Media has enabled us to unlimited connectivity with both positive and detrimental effects. Set digital boundaries to limit the amount of time you spend focusing on your personal issue while at work. This will allow yourself to check in on the issue, without letting it take over your day. This can be a challenge as we tend to become engulfed in information and updates. Be strict with yourself!

3. Take Time Off

Depending on the personal issue that you’re experiencing, it may be beneficial to take some time off work to ensure your emotional needs are met. Much the same as airline safety, we cannot take care of others if we do not take care of ourselves first. For those tougher personal issues, have a talk with your boss to discuss taking time off for rest and recovery while you sort through and recuperate.

4. Ensure Work Isn’t the Cause of the Problem

Is it possible that your current situation is a result of work-related stress? Check in with your manager to have open dialogue surrounding your performance, objectives and goals within your current company. Be honest. Perhaps they’ve noticed a decline in your motivation or deliverables. Have you received an increased workload? Are you satisfied with your current role and prospective future with your current company? Or, is it time for a change?

Take time to evaluate the cause of your stressors or personal issues. Don’t jump to conclusions but pay attention to the triggers that seem to cause dismay.

5. Use Your Resources

Reach deep into your network or close circle for support. Talk to them and let them know you’re having troubles. We often don’t recognize that a great many of us tread the same waters. We experience the same issues. Though they may look different for everyone depending on circumstance, we all go through something.

Check with your health insurance provider to see if you have coverage to speak to a therapist. For some, a massage and some self-care is enough to build clarity and a new perspective. Learn to pay attention to what triggers your stressors or issues and also what disengages them. These become tools to help support us in our lives and our work.

With the right mindset and support system, we can overcome anything that comes our way and Stop Personal Issues from Affecting Your Work. To read more on the subject, click to find out how Personal Issues Sabotage Your Professional Success.

Millennials have now become one of the largest generations in the workforce, some of whom are managing other generations including other millennials. In fact, millennials are contributing to some major changes in the workplace that are likely to stick around for a long time. In the quickly transforming workforce which will consist of millennials by majority in a few years, instead of expecting them to mold to old systems, it’s better to learn how to manage them to benefit from their ideas and change our workplaces for the better.

Millennials have a reputation for looking for different things in a work environment. Having said that, in a lot of ways, they have similar desires to those of other generations. What makes this sound different is mainly because they’re more vocal about it. Yes, it might be difficult to manage your peers when you transition into your new role but being proactive and establishing a good relationship with them can help you succeed. Here are some guidelines on how to adapt your management style, when you’re in fact a millennial.

Promote collaboration

It’s time to let the notion of “work your way up” go. Millennials thrive in collaborative environments where they’re treated equally. They also prefer to be led and mentored by their managers, but not bossed around. In fact, they are happier in an organization that fosters collaboration over competition.

Don’t let them get bored

They grew up in an era of immediacy, they can be rather impatient and thrive on short term goals. In order to keep them engaged, recognize them and show them their opinion and feedback are valued. Encourage conversations about innovative ideas and use ongoing interactive training tools.

Help them grow

More than anything, millennials want to feel their employment is meaningful and makes a difference. Be creative in the ways you can help develop your team. Share the vision and mission of the company and show them how they can add to it with clear expectations. This will retain passionate employees who feel invested.

Support work life balance

Disconnecting from work is harder for millennials, as they’ve always been surrounded by easily accessible technology. Keep in mind, this is the generation that is more likely to check their emails at home, even in bed. Although in short term, this might help the company’s responsiveness, in the long run will result in mental exhaustion and counter productivity.  So encourage them to take vacations and spend their weekends without checking their work emails.

Millennials ,like any other generations, want to work somewhere they not only feel valued in but are contributing value towards. So embrace their differences, recognize them, get creative in team building, engage and develop them, and let them take breaks. Stepping into a management role can be intimidating, but taking on challenges like this can be very rewarding and allows you to develop into a better leader.

 

 

Here is an interesting read from a millennial managing other millennials.

Delivering bad news to employees is the least favorite part of the job of every leader. Whether you’re disciplining employees, letting people know company is not doing well or the worst, letting someone go, the conversation can be tough.

Delivering bad news at work can be difficult; whether it affects the employees, the organization or both, an inspiring leader’s approach will help all parties out of the predicament and improve the experience. Here are some primary steps and a few tips on how to navigate through the difficult situation.

Prepare for the conversation

When delivering bad news at work, the first step is to make sure you have all the background information needed and the necessity to deliver the news has been justified. Ensure you know why and how decision was made, who was responsible for making it, what situation it was made in, and the possibilities and outcomes considered. Be prepared for the reaction and be cautious of your reaction to the reaction.

Communicate

This is the opportunity to improve the situation. Provide context, be honest and compassionate. You don’t need to sugar-coat what is unpleasant nor you should be cold and robotic. Clearly explain the issue and rationale and leave no room for misinterpretation. People are more willing to listen when they realize the decision made was fair. Talk about the facts and avoid sharing your personal viewpoint.

Allow for venting

The employees will likely have questions. Listen and be calm. Give them enough time to process the situation. Employees will get emotional and it’s your job as a leader to absorb some of that emotion. Don’t let the conversation turn into a negotiation. Then help the employee or team move forward and focus on future. Show them that you will be a partner in whatever comes next and they’ll have your support.

Delivering bad news at work is hard, but it’s unavoidable. You can’t make bad news less painful, but you can deliver it in the most respectful and compassionate way possible. Understand all about the decision, prepare how you’re going to state it, explain the logic as clearly as possible, let people take the news in, show empathy and focus on moving forward.

 

 

Also check out here to read more.