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Part of being an effective team leader or manager is being willing and able to help employees that are disgruntled or discouraged about their jobs. It's important to know how to recognize when employees are discouraged, define the problem and help them work it through. Learn how to help discouraged employees, so your workplace always runs smoothly and happily.

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    Recognize dissatisfaction. The first step in helping discouraged employees is to recognize that they're unhappy. Look for employees that seem overwhelmed, that complain about jobs or deadlines or are reclusive and don't interact with fellow staff. These could all be signs that they're unhappy at work.
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  2. Help Discouraged Employees Step 2.jpg
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    Talk with them privately. Help discouraged employees by meeting with them in private to discuss the problem. Don't ask them if they're unhappy in front of their fellow employees, because this will embarrass them and make them reluctant to talk. Instead, set up a meeting with them where the two of you can talk in solitude.
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    Let them talk freely. Solve employee dissatisfaction by allowing the employees to talk openly to you without fear of reprimand. Explain what you've observed and why you've asked to meet with them. Encourage them to speak openly and plainly about the problem. It's important for the employees to be able to talk to you about the problem, even if it involves another employee, a client, or even you.
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    Observe other employees. Watch how other employees act around the discouraged employees. This could help you understand why they're unhappy and how to help them. Watch for signs that other employees aren't handling their workload, and instead they're picking on the unhappy employees or they aren't including the employee in question in team-building or planning exercises.
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    Reduce their workload. Your employees might be unhappy because they feel overwhelmed and swamped with too much work. Reduce their work load -- at least for a while -- and let them catch up. If they have a list of tasks they feel they can manage successfully, it will boost their confidence and satisfaction with their job.
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    Give the employees manageable tasks. If the employees are unhappy, because they don't think they have the skill level to handle what they're being asked to do, give them smaller tasks that are more manageable. Allowing them to work at a comfortable skill level will make them more willing to grow and learn more skills.
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    Encourage them. Tell the discouraged employees about a few areas where you've noticed they've excelled or exceeded your expectations. Knowing you are happy with their work will make the employees more confident and happy with their jobs.
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Categories: Boss and Colleague Interaction | Workplace Management and Coping Skills

In other languages:

Español: Cómo ayudar a los empleados desanimados, Deutsch: Wie man bedrückte Angestellte aufbaut

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