Who doesn’t want a workplace that fosters a happy and enjoyable environment? A good working environment helps employees improve their mental health, mood, drive and performance. Consequently, they become more engaged, and both their morale and productivity are increased. That makes such a great environment essential for your company’s success. And as an employer, you have to ensure that your employees are having this healthy atmosphere at work.
Creating a positive working environment for your employees should neither be hard nor expensive. Here are seven pro-tips to maintain a strong, well-balanced environment that your employees will love.
1. Encourage work-life balance.
Among today’s employees and job seekers, work-life balance has been a top criterion when considering work. Jobs can take up almost half of the workers’ lives, but they do have a life outside the company. The more they feel that they are supported and helped to balance both obligations, the more productive they will be at work.
To advocate for this work-life balance and ensure a healthy working environment, you can encourage them to take some time off and allow a flexible working schedule or a work-from-home setup. Work should also be left at the office. Once they are out of the company walls, they should be able to focus on their personal lives, not thinking or worrying about what they left in their workplaces. You can also offer a discounted gym membership or a ticket to their favourite film.
2. Support open communication.
The way you interact with your employees does matter. But this is not just for you. All the team members and your upper management should be aware that their communication methods can largely affect the working environment in your company. You should not favour politics and side conversations that can turn your peaceful environment sour. Instead, encourage them to have open and honest communication while being mindful of others beliefs and embracing diversity in the group. People going behind each other’s backs will not help anyone accomplish the job well.
One way of doing this is by sending emails and holding company wide meetings to let everyone know the status of your operation, making sure that everyone who needs to be informed is in the loop. Sometimes you may act as a mediator, but it’s better than having things out of control.
3. Make your workplace clean and comfortable.
A clean office can significantly affect how employees will work and relate with one another. If they find the space comfortable to work in, they are sure to work with zeal and perform well. If its appearance is depressing, your employees might feel the same way.
To make your workspace clean and comfortable, there should be a relaxing atmosphere. This will be possible if you would invest in good lighting and furniture, or all the necessary facilities are provided and well maintained. For example, if you know that your bathroom is broken and employees won’t be comfortable using it, then call for bathroom renovators. Improve what you have. You can also consider decorating the office with live plants and having regular cleaning maintenance.
4. Recognise and reward hard work.
When you give employees the recognition that they deserve for a job well done, this boosts their morale. Rewarding them for their great work can further encourage them to be at their best always.
Recognising and rewarding your employees can be as simple as saying “thank you” or sending appreciation emails. Even with these small acts, your employees will feel valued, and that will go a long way in increasing employee retention. If your budget permits, you can also provide monetary rewards or extra holidays.
5. Promote workplace wellness.
In most workplaces today, wellness can be overlooked. However, this should be a priority if you want your workplace to have a healthy environment. Employees with good physical and mental health communicate well with one another.
To promote wellness in your workplace, you can encourage them to exercise or move while working. How about a weekly exercise program? This will inspire them to live a healthy lifestyle and help them know their workmates better. You can also purchase exercise balls and tell them to take breaks to play or energise. Let them have some fun at work. Being mindful about their workloads is also beneficial to their physical and mental health.
6. Give feedback.
As you promote good communication among your team members, it’s best to give them feedback about their work once in a while. This can be a way of providing constructive criticism and positive recognition. Feedback can clear out confusion and even be used as a tool to mentor your employees.
When you communicate feedback at a regular interval, employees may recognise their undesirable behaviour and move away from it, aligning to the company’s vision or the culture that you want to instil in them. If conveyed appropriately, your employees may also feel more engaged and empowered.
7. Create development plans for your employees.
As a leader, your goals for your employees should include their career and personal development, not only the ones focused on the company’s success. When you empower them with development plans, they will naturally excel in what they are doing and improve their work performance.
A development plan for your team will help them reach their short and long-term goals while you get to understand their strengths and weaknesses or areas that can still be improved. This also shows them that you have genuine concern and want only the best for them. Wouldn’t this encourage a very healthy working environment?
Having a good working environment will benefit not only your employees but your business. It improves productivity and reduces costs. Healthy working conditions can help you reach your goals while maintaining a great working relationship with your team members. To do this, keeping them happy and healthy should be a priority, and these pro-tips are sure to do just that.
