Workplace cynicism comes in many different forms and appears to have increased in recent years in light of mass layoffs, mergers, and corporate scandals (Anderson, 1996). In 1991, Mirvis and Kanter reported that 43 percent of American workers exhibited a highly cynical attitude toward work. The popularity of the comic strip Dilbert further indicates the prevalence of cynicism in today's workplace (Dean, Brandes, & Dharkwadkar, 1998). A Google search on "cynicism in the workplace" produced 408,000 results, including a segment on NPR from May 2007 that addressed the topic of cynicism. The host, only partly joking, noted that General Motors employees have good reason to be cynical in the face of plant closures and the loss of more than 30,000 jobs. The question arises whether workplace cynicism must inevitably follow the decline of American businesses, and whether there are factors that could potentially positively influence cynicism. Information from opinion polls paints a mixed picture. Gallup (2007) reported that only 18% of the American population had some or a great deal of confidence in big business in 2007, a steady decline from the peak of 33% in 1977 and 30% in 1999, which would support an increase in cynicism organisational. However, Gallup also reported that workers' overall satisfaction with their jobs in 2007 was quite high. 56% of U.S. workers are satisfied with the safety of their jobs, and 60% are completely or partially satisfied with their supervisors (Gallup, 2007). Similarly, the percentage of partially or completely dissatisfied workers was only 6% in August 2007 compared to 14% in August 2005 (Gallup, 2007). This increase in satisfaction means that there will be a match...... middle of paper ......vision I have attempted to answer the question of whether workplace cynicism in its various forms can be positively influenced or even prevented by organizations, or whether it is an inevitable result of the decline of American businesses. Occupational cynicism can possibly be limited by reducing working hours, increasing wages and providing more support to occupations that appear to be particularly affected. Leaders and managers can take steps to prevent organizational cynicism and organizational change cynicism from taking hold in an organization resulting in negative consequences for the organization and the individual. Organizations could adopt more participatory decision-making processes, observe principles of distributive justice and engage in open and honest communication as a first step to counteract some of the negative consequences of cynicism in the workplace.