How To Create A Better Work Environment
By Mikkie Mills
Your work environment can drive performance and impact the bottom line of your business. Chances are that employees won't feel motivated and confident to voice their concerns in an environment with undesirable conditions. As such, it's critical to create an enabling work environment to ensure the success of your efforts. Below are four ways to create a productive work environment and improve employee engagement.
Your People Are Priority #1
Creation of a productive work environment begins with recruiting qualified professionals. Everyone wants to hire skilled team players, so keep in mind that you are competing with other employers for the same talent. It is wise to invest in amenities that would draw talent to your company. Things like festive holiday decorations and weekly work competitions with prizes. I remember back when I was in college I worked for a hospital as a receptionist in the lobby. We always had a large, 9 foot Christmas Tree in the lobby during the Holiday season. I loved seeing the tree and it made me happy to be at my job. It’s simple and seemingly not a big deal, but it contributed to a great work environment.
The same idea translates to your current employees. They are more likely to become toxic when they work in an toxic environment. In fact, one negative employee can affect everyone's performance. As such, it's sometimes wise to let people go. Even if they are uber talented at their job, if they make it harder for everyone else to succeed then you might consider firing them.
Communicate
Many relationships fail due to lack of communication, and the same is true for business. Today's firms should be looking for ways to improve how they interact with employees. When it comes to performance reviews, there are tips and advice on how to go about this over at https://www.qualtrics.com/experience-management/employee/performance-appraisal/ that could be helpful. Positive reinforcement makes employees feel valued and motivated. It also demonstrates how the efforts of the employees contribute to a company's success. You could provide feedback on how the efforts of one employee have contributed to the company’s overall success in a monthly email newsletter to the company. Workers often feel valued and motivated when credit is given where it is due. Taking this extra step builds trust, drives performance, increases innovation, and ignites workplace enthusiasm. Thanking employees for working extra hours or going above and beyond their roles can go a long way to make them feel valued.
Ergonomics Go A Long Way
Working in a comfortable environment can impact your relationship with managers and co-workers. You can use comfy furniture to provide a relaxing atmosphere even if sun can't shine into your worksite. You could use extra-mile amenities such as modernized equipment and PTO tracking software to improve vacations and time management. For example, you could provide employees the flexibility to choose the days that they will come into work and days they will work from home. Moreover, you can let them decide to either sit or stand at their desks. You should make it easy for employees to purchase anything they need to make their work environment as productive as possible. Furthermore, you can let workers manage their time. That way, they are free to recharge and take a break whenever they feel tired.
Colors And Lighting
Lighting is critical to ensuring a positive work attitude and improved workplace performance. Exposing workers to natural lighting can help increase their energy and ultimately impact their productivity. Lack of natural light in the worksite often causes office workers to feel down and melancholy. There are many other options for incorporating natural light into the workshop. For example, you can use blue-enriched light bulbs to increase work performance and happiness, and reduce work-related fatigue. It works really well in brainstorming rooms as well. Conversely, warmer tones are ideal for break or meeting rooms as they promote relaxation and calmness. You could also use middle tones to keep workers alert in conference rooms.
About Mikkie Mills: “I’m a Chicago native who loves to share her expertise about personal development and growth. When I’m not writing, I’m chasing the little ones around or rock climbing at the local climbing gym.” More articles by Mikkie.
