Is it your goal to create a positive workplace culture? If it isn’t, it should be. Building a positive workplace culture helps create employee engagement, which leads to increased productivity and higher job satisfaction. The problem is that many people in leadership do not understand how to create a positive culture in the workplace. Here, we offer some insight into steps you can take and why it’s important.
First, let’s look at why it matters. Research indicates that when employees are happy in their jobs, they’re 85 percent more efficient, stay twice as long in their jobs, and are absent from work 60 percent less than workers who don’t have a high level of job satisfaction. Happy employees who like their jobs and are invested in the company are more productive and creative, and that’s good for your business. Here’s how to create a positive workplace culture that fosters that kind of success.
· Model gratitude. Gratitude is a foundational aspect of happiness, and as a leader, your happiness needs to be displayed for your employees. Develop a habit of expressing gratitude regularly, for small things and large things, and you’ll find that you are training your brain to notice good things in the world. When you bring this attitude into the workplace, you will be creating a positive work environment and setting an example for others. Carry your positivity through to your interactions with employees, showing them that they are important to the company.
· Be generous with your praise. Your opinion matters to your employees, and people respond well to encouragement and praise. Recognize accomplishments, praising your team members publicly, either in meetings or through emails. Even small gestures can have a big impact when they make employees feel noticed and appreciated. Recognition encourages people and promotes engagement, building commitment to the company.
· Understand and promote your company’s core values. If you want your employees to be passionate about the work they’re doing, start by identifying your organization’s mission. Knowing the mission is exciting and motivating, and it helps employees accomplish the goals you set. Make sure they share your vision of what you’re trying to create, and that the people you hire connect to your company’s values. Then represent those values for your company, creating an environment of authenticity and mutual trust.
· Maintain consistent expectations. Consistency and predictability are important to employees. They need to know what’s expected of them, the parameters of their jobs, and the rules they need to follow. For a strong workplace culture, you need to maintain expectations at every level, requiring that every employee behaves in a matter consistent with your company values.
· Encourage self-care and a healthy work-life balance. Your work environment should promote health and help reduce your employees’ stress levels. Promote self-care, making space for things like breaks and taking a walk during the day as well as providing information about stress reduction, healthy sleep, nutrition, and other aspects of wellness. Offer a flexible schedule to reduce the risk of burnout.
· Promote an atmosphere of communication, collaboration, and connection. Connect withy our employees and encourage them to connect with each other, both socially and professionally. Create space for them to take breaks together because relaxation is essential to productivity. Foster open and honest communication, welcoming feedback, and providing not only opportunities for social interaction, but also continued learning opportunities. A team that learns together and has positive interpersonal relationships will be better able to work together in innovative and creative ways.
· Offer your employees an overview of the company’s “big picture.” Spend time explaining why the tasks your employees are assigned are important to the overall work of the company so that they’ll have a sense of purpose and belonging. When disappointments happen, encourage your employees by pointing out their successes and strengths, and maintain an optimistic attitude about where the company is headed.
· Create a system of goals and rewards. The goals towards which your employees are working should be clear, and so should the rewards. When people understand why they’re doing the work they do, they’re more motivated and engaged. Use measurable performance indicators and positively reinforce progress and achievements. Make sure your employees know their worth because employees who feel valued are motivated to do their best work because they feel connected to the company.
At Marketing Innovators, we believe that connecting to people on a human level is the best way to build a great business. That’s why for over 40 years our family-owned, employee driven company has been working to build and strengthen that connection between businesses and their employees, customers, and partners. We work hard to help our clients motivate, incentivize, and reward their workforce. Our commitment to our core values of integrity, trust, collaboration, empowerment, and the kind of results-oriented attitude that promotes customer success has made us a leader in the engagement marketplace. To learn more about how we can help solve your business challenges, call 800-453-7373 or contact us through our website.
