The success of a company lies both in the hands of the employer and the employee. If you want to get the most out of your employees, you have to keep them happy at work. Be emphatic and imagine yourself in their shoes. Employees spend most of their waking hours working for your company. So, it is just but fitting to make those hours positive and easy for them. No matter how stressful the day maybe, your employees are happy to do more than the bare minimum, because of the satisfactory work environment they have.
There is more to setting up a work environment geared for success than simply reporting to work and doing their daily chores. You have to set a positive workplace, where happiness and teamwork can thrive and issues like sexual harassment in the workplace are non-existent. No one likes reporting to a workplace where they feel they have to drag themselves to work.
It is important to note, of course, that sexual harassment and assault transcend mere rape: any form of unwanted touching can amount to sexual assault. But perhaps more than this is the high prevalence of workplace sexual assault. According to statistics from the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, 38% of women and 14% of men said they had been sexually harassed at work, Sam Dordulian, a sexual assault lawyer in Los Angeles, says. Some fields, such as agriculture, service jobs, and manly jobs, have higher sexual harassment rates.
The good news is for the upper management and HR team, there are so many things you can do to build that positive work environment. Here are four easy ways that you can try:
1. Establish Open And Clear Communication
Good communication is the foundation of strong and amicable interpersonal relationships. Your company should have that culture. Unfortunately, some employees feel that they’re strapped to their seats and aren’t allowed to speak their minds. They should feel that they have a voice and that it needs to be heard.
You can start by holding regular meetings, where everyone is encouraged to talk. You’ll never know that even the new hire whom you were doubtful about actually has a lot of promising ideas to contribute.
A positive work environment is one where all communication practices are clear. When an employee has a concern, they know whom to talk to. Should they have work-related questions, they know who to approach directly, for every kind of problem. And, responses are also given timely.
Fostering a culture where feedback is valued can significantly dampen the occurrence of negative attitudes in the workplace and this, in turn, helps build a positive work environment. Employees who feel their feedback leads to tangible changes are more likely to remain engaged and contribute positively to the company’s culture.
2. Prioritize A Good Onboarding And Training Process
The onboarding and training process refers to that step after an employee is hired. Those are the days when the employee is first welcomed to the workplace, and taken aboard the team. While often overlooked, a good onboarding and employee training process can also contribute to a positive work environment.
The premise behind this is that right from day one, every employee already feels they have a lot to contribute to the overall company success. A good onboarding and training process may also help improve your company’s employee retention rate.
3. Show Your Appreciation
Employees like it when they are appreciated for the work they do. Even the smallest gesture of gratitude or affirmation works. It’s not really necessary to shower your employees with monetary rewards all the time because all they want is to be seen and valued for the hard work they do.
This should begin with the upper management. The company should create a culture where efforts do not go unnoticed. Soon enough, even those working in the lower management will follow suit. There is a sense of appreciation across all members of the team, even for the simplest things they do.
Additionally, take note of employees’ birthdays and even the Christmas holidays. Even the smallest bonus can make a huge impact in making employees happy. Always take note, the happier your employees are, the more positive the work environment is.
4. Focus On Employee Wellbeing
Employee wellness activities are now the norm across many organizations. When employees are the lifeblood of the organization, it’s just but fitting to be concerned with their overall well-being.
You’ll never know what is hidden behind every smile of even the most hardworking employee at work. Every person has their own problems and worries left behind at home. When you take the extra step of caring for their wellness, then you might just have helped someone suffering from depression.
Having convenient access to quality healthcare, including an expert dentist in Madison Heights MI, can significantly impact your employees’ lives and contribute to their overall happiness and productivity. Remember, a healthy smile can lead to a happy employee, ultimately benefiting your company too.
There are many wellness activities you can hold at work. This gives your team something to look forward to, at least weekly. Along that line, it’s also a good idea to hear their voice and listen to what activities they may want to have. For instance, a free gym class would do or an opportunity to have free psychological counseling is a great concept.
Takeaway
The ways above, when taken as a whole, comprise the key ingredients to creating a positive work environment. This is crucial to keep workplace culture and employee experience in good condition. Otherwise, your business will be known in the industry, for all the negative reasons. As you can see now, building a positive work environment goes beyond setting the right wall color. There are a lot of things that you can do for your employees if you only exert more effort into implementing ways as soon as possible. A good start is to sit down with your team and tick one item from the list, one at a time.