Attitudes

Attitudes are usually viewed as evaluative tendencies (favorable or unfavorable) towards a person, thing, event or process. An attitude towards a particular object is thus a bias, predisposing a person towards evaluative responses that are positive or negative (Warr, 2002). Another definition is given by Sherif and Sherif (1967), who thought that attitudes are expressions of how individuals conceive “their ways of life, their ways of doing things, their stands on the family and on social, religious, economic, and political issues, and how they conceive the ways and stands of others” (p. 1). These can be developed from direct experience or from influence of social agents, and it is possible to say that they affect the way we behave. Therefore, depending on how you perceive the world, you will interpret and react differently.

That is why is so important to have a good attitude toward work, since a bad attitude can affect the performance. But, is it possible to change an employee’s attitude at work? In my opinion the answer to this question depends on every person because, to be able to change an attitude it is necessary to have self-awareness , motivation and a change in beliefs.

Rainey‑attitudes.
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To facilitate the change in attitudes, managers must provide employees incentives that lead them to it, for example, a raise in their salary, a promotion or a promise of one, good experiences, good feedback, among others.

Change is many times difficult, but, it is essential in today’s business to be versatile and specially to have a positive attitude toward it.

Sources: 

• Attitudes. (n.d.).  <http://www.attitudeworks.com.au/AW_pages/attitudes/what_is/what_is.html> [01/03/2011]
• Values, Attitudes and Behaviors. (2007). <http://www.uk.sagepub.com/upm-data/17521_Chapter_5.pdf> [01/03/2011]