Frustrate their hopes. Workers lose heart when they feel unable to contribute, so “stymie employees’ desire to make a difference” at every turn. We collected 12,000 diary entries from 238 professionals, and learned that a boss can greatly affect moods. Try moving people “on and off projects like chess pieces.” Better yet, “give conflicting goals” and change them often.
Fight dissent. If you hear whispers of discord, deny culpability, “and if possible, strike back.” When alerted to a morale problem, remind the messenger—and anyone listening—that they’re lucky to be employed.
Never change. If you think you can’t learn a thing from this list, you’re probably already creating a toxic atmosphere. “Unawareness is one of the trademarks of managers who are most effective at destroying employees’ work lives.”
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Source: The Washington Post
-
Conservative megadonors build a new bank thanks to Trump administration approvalIN THE SPOTLIGHT With a Lord Of The Rings-inspired name, and the backing of some of the biggest GOP financiers around, Erebor Bank is set to make major waves in the crypto world
-
Political cartoons for October 20Cartoons Monday’s political cartoons include a $40 billion bailout for Argentina, Prince Andrew's titles, chaos at the CDC, and more
-
From Da Vinci to a golden toilet: a history of museum heistsIn the Spotlight Following the ‘spectacular’ events at the Louvre, museums are ‘increasingly being targeted by criminal gangs’
