Work may not always be a bed of roses. However, employees work better with a more engaging and encouraging work environment. According to Forbes, “an inclusive workplace is one that values individual differences in the workforce and makes them feel welcome and accepted.” Employees want to feel excited about coming to work every day. They want to feel reassured that the time given to the organization for the day was worth it. This all comes down to a positive work environment.
Positive vibes are infectious. A positive work environment includes practicing gratitude and recognition, supporting fellow teammates during crunch times, and, most importantly, treating one another with respect. All of these qualities combined will make the organization a wonderful place to work. Putting qualities like these into practice starts from the organizational level, and then filters down to the team and individual level. Making sure your company values align with this support for a positive work environment will help your employees see that your organization really cares.
So, how can an organization create a positive workspace? Let’s dive in!
Open and Honest Communication
Like it or not, honesty is the best policy. Clear and transparent communication results in a stronger working relationship. You want to build a rapport with your teammates to earn their trust. Your teammates need to make sure that they can trust you. One surefire way to achieve this is to have empathy for each other. Empathy shows that you respect your teammates and care about how they’re doing at work. This could be relevant to several scenarios, including during group projects. You show empathy by supporting one another and working collaboratively towards common goals. Communication is key for any relationship to be successful. Giving someone your full, undivided attention shows you care about what they are going through, regardless of whether it’s personal or professional.
Good Relationships with Superiors
A solid relationship with management is a key aspect of employee satisfaction. This will not only lead to a positive work environment but also a reduction in turnovers. An employee-superior relationship can be boosted by the following tips – asking questions, requesting feedback, weekly catchups, or having conversations that are not always about work. At the end of the day, an employee would want a good recommendation from their employer should they want to change jobs in the future. But also building this relationship can help an employee feel supported in the workplace because they know that their managers and supervisors are there for them. Connecting about work and non-work topics can help build those relationships and bring hierarchies at work closer together.
Maintain a Good Work-Life Balance
Everyone needs a break from work once in a while. Ever since the pandemic hit, many professions have been limited to working from home all day, every day, while others have been under extra stress to stay healthy and safe while going into in-person workplaces. It is crucial to find things to look forward to during the day. This way, employees can help tackle any possible causes of workplace burnout.
A lot of people, especially new employees, have the belief that they are supposed to enjoy themselves only on the weekends. This does not have to be true. You are allowed to plan your day to ensure you stay productive and efficient with your workload.
Be Compassionate Towards Your Teammates
One of the most common empathy exercises we’ve all heard in life is to imagine yourself in someone else’s shoes. At work, your teammates see your good, bad, and ugly times. Most importantly, they have your back. They support you when you need it the most. We all have bad days at work. Solutions? Talk to a friend. Go get coffee. Take a breather in the break room. Interacting with teammates allows you to vent out your frustrations. It allows you to take in the necessary advice you need when you’re facing tough situations. Teammates are your network to reach out to for support at work, and depend on for support and extra eyes and hands when you need them.
Environment Should Be Relaxed and Productive
People should be able to come to work feeling uplifted and motivated. According to Monster.com, “signs of fear, domination, bullying, sexual harassment, and intimidation should be absent.” Eliminating stressful aspects of the workplace and providing avenues for providing feedback on employee experience will allow employees to stay focused and productive throughout the course of their workday. A happy employee means a loyal and more productive employee. And employees want to make sure that they’re safe and will be listened to by their management and team about anything preventing them from being productive.
Gauging a Positive Workplace with PxidaEX
Do you want to know what matters most for employees when it comes to spreading positivity at work? PxidaEX is our tool for gathering employee feedback about their workplace and experience. Using PxidaEX, employers can ensure that they’re gathering the necessary feedback from their employees to make changes for the better to workplace culture and practices. Give PxidaEX a try today, and see how our analytics can make a difference for your employees and business.