Home Health & Hospice Week

Eliminate your unconscious negativity with these dos and don’ts.

You could be devaluing and discouraging your employees’ performance at work without even knowing it. If you skim your email while an employee is trying to talk to you or if you always forget an employee’s name, you could be sending your subordinates negative “micromessages,” according to a book, Micromessaging, by Stephen Young.

These subtle and usually subconscious negative micromessages (also called MicroInequities) can hurt employees’ self-esteem and impair their performance in the workplace, says Young, a diversity and leadership expert. But positive micromessages, (also called MicroAdvantages) can have an equally powerful impact, he notes in his book.

“While most of us are unaware of the 2,000 to 4,000 micromessages we send each day, they are the cornerstone that determines short- and long-term performance, employee loyalty, and organizational culture,” Young explains in a statement. “The intrigue is how senders are mostly unaware of receiving them, yet mysteriously they are sent, received, and most importantly, acted on, blindly altering workplace performance and collegial relationships.”

Doing something as simple as looking at your watch when an employee is speaking during a meeting can send a negative micromessage to him, Young warns.

The first step to eliminating negative micromessages that could harm your workplace is to be more aware of what kinds of micromessages you’re sending to employees. For example:

• Don’t turn away, shuffle papers, or look at something on your computer screen when an employee is talking to you. This sends the micromessage that what he has to say is not important to you.
• Do give the employee your full attention to send a positive micromessage. Make and hold eye contact with her while she’s speaking, and lean forward in your chair to show that you’re interested in what she’s telling you.
• Don’t chit-chat with one employee or lavish special attention on one employee in particular. Doing so tells other employees that they aren’t as important as her.
• Do give equal time and attention to all your employees. If you say ‘Good Morning’ to a few of your employees, be sure to say it to all of them.