Work Atmosphere:
5 Key Ways to Maintain a Positive Work Environment
Noticing a few moans and groans around the office? Unfortunately, employee dissatisfaction can spread throughout the entire company. In fact, it can even impact your business success down the road.
According to research, happiness can even lead to a 12% boost in productivity. Unhappy workers, on the other hand, are 10% less productive.
Don’t let negative vibes hurt your company’s bottom line. Instead, here are five ways you can foster a positive work atmosphere throughout your company. With these tips, you can step up productivity and retain happy employees while you’re at it.
Clear Things Up
A lack of communication can cause a lot of trouble down the road. In order to create a positive work atmosphere, communication is key.
Start by making sure employees understand your expectations at the start of a project.
That way, they don’t waste their own time (or yours) by heading down the wrong path. Otherwise, the lack of productivity could hurt your entire team.
Instead, make sure your instructions are clear and direct.
If any issues arise throughout the process, don’t ignore them. Instead, address problems head-on as soon as possible. Clearing things up early on can help you avoid bigger (more costly) problems ahead.
Lend an Ear
Employees want to know someone is listening. After all, you hired them for a reason! Encourage your employees to speak up when they have new ideas.
Of course, not every idea is perfect. Instead of dismissing ideas that don’t quite work, collaborate. Helping your employees expand on their ideas can create a positive work environment that will encourage innovation in the future.
Recognize & Reward
When your employees do a great job, reward them for their work. It sounds simple, but many companies neglect to recognize their employees as individuals.
Staff meetings are a great time to acknowledge someone’s hard work, dedication, or recent successes.
In addition to verbal praise, consider creative incentives (such as a half-day or movie pass) to encourage productivity throughout the office.
Demonstrate Trust
Hovering over your employees like a helicopter parent will make them second guess themselves. Instead of micromanaging, step back and let them get to work.
Remember, you hired them for a reason.
To create a positive work atmosphere built on a foundation of trust, consider team-building exercises. Team building is a great way to strengthen the team as a whole.
Have Fun Now & Then
When your employees are feeling stressed out, it impacts everyone’s productivity. In fact, 550 million workdays are lost due to stress every year. To help combat that stress, have some fun!
While it’s important to create a professional environment, let your employees express their personalities, too. For example, have a competition to see who has the best-decorated desk. Or suggest leaving the office once a year for a morale-boosting retreat!
