Do you know why we prefer going to one place over another? It is because of the vibe we get from the environment. And this holds true for the work environment, where most of us spend about 40 hours weekly.
Many workers would choose to leave a workplace with a toxic work environment, making it one of the top reasons for leaving a job. A recent survey showed that approximately 60% of people in a toxic workplace said they planned to look for a new job, more than twice those who did not.
If a company isn’t fostering a positive work environment, it cannot retain top talent. A positive workplace is the key facet of all successful companies. When employees feel happy and valued, they put maximum effort into your organisational success.
Read on to better understand what a positive workplace environment looks like and how to create one.
What is a Positive Work Environment?
Let us start by being objective:
Can you work productively in a company in chaos and rampant with office politics and discrimination?
The answer is NO!
Everyone hates such a workplace that promotes discrimination and favouritism and increases our stress levels. The work environment has a great influence on every employee’s mental health as they spend most hours of the day in the office.
A positive work environment refers to a workplace that promotes workers’ safety, mental and physical well-being, professional growth, and personal goal attainment. However, the definition of a positive work environment differs between companies.
For some, it can focus on creating a good work-life balance or a productive work atmosphere. On the other hand, some may focus on ensuring open and honest communication within the organisation for a positive workplace. We will share multiple strategies to create a positive work environment in the later part of the guide.
According to research, 95% of job seekers believe workplace culture is more essential than compensation. This makes fostering a positive work environment essential to attract and retain top talents.
Benefits of a Positive Work Environment
Fostering a positive work environment in your company helps employees at both personal and professional levels. Companies must focus more on creating a healthy and positive workplace that motivates employees to keep going.
Here are some benefits of how such a workplace benefits your company’s bottom line:
Increases Organisational Productivity
Employee productivity is an essential part of business health and operational efficiency. Recent studies reveal productive employees can potentially increase profits by 21%. However, to engage employees, you need to focus on building a positive workplace culture.
When your employees are satisfied and happy, they can complete tasks efficiently and collaborate successfully with other team members. This further leads to organisational growth and success.
Enhance Employee Retention
Employees getting exposed to a positive work environment are less likely to switch for higher paychecks or opportunities. This improves your retention rate, which saves your resources in finding people to substitute for them.
Attract Better Talents
When you foster a positive work culture, your existing employees in their network speak highly about you. This, in turn, improves your chance of attracting better talents and retaining them longer.
Supports Workers Well-Being
Employees today largely suffer from workplace stress and burnout, affecting their work quality. However, by turning positive work environment ideas into reality, you can create a comfortable workplace for them.
It helps them manage stress and anxiety while improving productivity and work-life balance.
Top Ways to Create a Positive Work Environment
Are you searching for ideas for creating a positive work environment for your company? We have listed below a few strategies to build a positive workplace.
Prioritise Your Onboarding and Training Process.
Effective onboarding creates an environment for employees to learn and become invested in your company culture. It can take you days to months to complete your onboarding process.
But one thing is certain: you must allocate proper tools and resources to new employees to fulfil their roles. This helps you nurture high-performing and engaged team members who contribute to company success.
Treat Your Employees as Humans
Some organisations have a bad reputation for treating their employees poorly. For example, if you are a writer and your company asks you to provide 5000-word scripts daily, do you think it’s humane?
Instead of treating your employees like machines or resources for your company, try to be more compassionate with them. You can accept some level of their mistakes or try to de-stress them at times.
Additionally, you can offer a flexible work structure to maintain a proper work-life balance for employees. This not only makes them happy and satisfied but also improves work quality and overall organisational performance.
Eliminating Discrimination
Companies are adopting DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity) measures to eliminate employee discrimination. For example, earlier, people used to discriminate between men and women for different job roles in finances, STEM, etc., but those are now a thing of the past.
Similarly, giving women better benefits and opportunities compared to men is also not acceptable today. This measure ensures all employees are treated equally and that you don’t promote favouritism. This, in turn, reduces employee stress and anxiety in trying to be the boss’s favourite and rather work hard for the organisation’s success.
Recognise Employee Achievements
Every employee in your company wants recognition for their hard work and contributions. If you aren’t focusing on their achievements, they lose motivation to offer quality work. Therefore, you can show appreciation and respect to employees at different events.
For example, send a congratulations note or a small gift to workers on their birthdays or work anniversaries. This makes them feel valued and happy, improving your company’s productivity.
Stop Micromanaging Employees
Instead of micromanaging your employees, give them the independence to handle their own projects. Though things may not go in the same way as you thought, they can have better outcomes.
Under such scenarios, employees feel a sense of trust that increases their willingness to work better. When your workers aren’t afraid of managers, they can foster creativity in work. Overall, eliminating micromanaging is among the best ways to create a positive culture in the workplace.
Allow Open and Clear Communications
Aren’t you sure about how to describe the work environment in your company presently? Ask your employees. You must always encourage feedback from your team members. It gives you a clear idea of what your company is currently missing and considers their thoughts on improving them.
This makes your workers feel valued, and you can consistently improve your brand to attract top talent. Every company must foster good and clear communication between workers and management. It helps you understand what employees expect from you and what you expect from them.
Support Professional Growth
Today’s workers aren’t satisfied with just good paychecks; they also look for growth opportunities while choosing companies. Therefore, you must set aside a budget for positive work environment training and other career development courses for workers.
This not only improves their work quality but also leads to company success in the long run.
How 6 Pence Helps
Building a positive work environment in your company can be a time-consuming process. It requires a lot of planning, research, and effort to implement ideas into reality. But in today’s job market, if you can create a welcoming workplace and just, you not only lose employees but your brand image also gets tarnished.
Surviving in an employee-centric job market can be tough, but with 6 Pence, you can find the best-fit people for your company. At 6 Pence, we can take over your struggles and provide you with temporary and permanent staff outsourcing whenever needed. We are operational only in Oman, Iraq, Bahrain and Dubai. To know more, contact us today!
Also Read: A Guide To Adopting Employee Referral Bonus Policy
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it important to have a good work environment?
It is essential to provide your employees with a good work environment to foster productivity and employee engagement. Additionally, it helps retain top talents, ensure employee well-being, and boost overall business performance.
What promotes a positive work environment?
There are several ways to create a positive work environment, including prioritising the onboarding process, restricting micro-management, promoting open communication and team collaboration, employee recognition, and proper training.
What are the two characteristics of a positive work environment?
The two important components of a positive work environment are safety and equity.
