Pointing out problems at work, without suggesting improvements, can cause employees to become mentally fatigued and defensive. According to a study from Michigan State University (MSU) researchers, it’s important to find a balance between finding problems and coming up with improvements.
“The moral of this story is not that we want people to stop raising concerns within the company, because that can be extremely beneficial,” said Russell Johnson, a faculty member in MSU’s Broad College of Business and co-author of the study. “But constantly focusing on the negative can have a detrimental effect on the individual.”
Johnson said that employees who constantly point out problems may be mentally fatigued because this often means they’re focusing on other workers’ shortcomings, which causes tension in these relationships.
“The irony of that is, when people are mentally fatigued they’re less likely to point out problems anymore,” Johnson said. “In addition, their own work performance suffers, they’re less likely to be cooperative and helpful, and they even exhibit deviant behaviors such as being verbally abusive and stealing from the employer.”
Johnson suggests that employers consider rewarding workers who point out problems that lead to improvements.
“In that case, maybe other employees would be more accepting of someone pointing out errors if they know this is what the company wants them to do—that the person isn’t acting outside the norm,” he said.
(Image: Hoodsie DeQuincey/Creative Commons)
