What Creates Cynical Employees?

When it comes to a work environment, who does NOT want to work with coworkers and employees who are positive, optimistic and dedicated to providing good service or quality products to the consumers? Many businesses strive to create an atmosphere that feels good and attracts positives employees. What happens, then, when a work environment seems to be overrun with cynicism? What elements or factors create those cynical employees?

Cynical individuals or employees are pessimistic, skeptical, distrustful and suspicious. They may not support management efforts or they may have a low opinion of customers or clients. These people just are not on board with an optimistic view of the purpose and direction of the company and/or organization. While one cynical individual may not be a signal that something is wrong with the department or organization, when you have several cynical employees, something is definitely wrong.

A disconnect between what the company management STATES as values and policy and what is actually happening is one of the main reasons workers become cynical. If the company says it values its employees and then expects long hours, does not give adequate (or any) pay raises or takes advantage of employees in other ways-it is not going to matter how much the management SAYS they value employees, workers are not going to be happy. Hypocrisy breeds disillusionment and cynicism.

Hardship and sustained "hard times" can also make employees cynical. If workers do not have the resources, equipment and supplies they need to get the job done, it will be hard for them to feel positive about the company. Likewise if there is a big gap or disparity between what some employees have and what others have, this will also cause discontent. Workers will start to talk about the inequity and the cynical temperament can build and spread.

Happy employees are those who are decently treated. This does not mean that they get everything they want or make all the money they would like to, but if a business or company strives to treat people well and fairly-both employees and customers/clients; AND the organization matches its actions to its words, then cynical employees will likely be avoided.