Negosentro | How to Create a Great Work Environment at Your Company | One of your main objectives as a business owner should be to build a strong, productive and happy team. While this can feel challenging, it is important to remember that your business is only as good as your employees. Here are some tips to help you foster a great work environment.
Facilitate Communication
Communication should always be your top priority when dealing with your employees. Make sure your team knows exactly what your expectations are and how they can achieve them. If there are issues that arise, address them as soon as possible. Work environments can quickly become toxic if communication breaks down between managers and employees. Encourage your team to also communicate openly and honestly with each other.
Encourage Collaboration
Cooperation between teams becomes more important than ever as your business expands. Fostering connections allows your employees to learn from each other and encourages them to trust their coworkers, which builds a stronger company culture. You may want to use a platform, such as Workiva, to promote collaboration and communication between teams.
Empower Your Employees
While it is important to have strong leadership and make expectations known, employees will thrive if you empower them to make decisions on their own. Make sure that you give employees freedom within a framework. They should know which decisions they are and aren’t allowed to make without your input. This could be as simple as setting a budget before you have your team start working on a project, but allowing them to complete the rest of the project on their own. Ask your employees for their opinions and take their advice when it is appropriate. Finally, you should consider giving your team autonomy when it comes to dealing with customer service issues. This will give you the freedom to redirect your attention to other important aspects of your business.
Focus on Diversity and Acceptance
A diverse and accepting workplace is a strong workplace. If your employees feel respected and valued, they will be happier and function better. They will also feel comfortable staying longer at your company. Having a team of differing backgrounds encourages creativity and outside-the-box thinking. When hiring, make sure you look at a wide pool of talent. Be open about the fact that your business encourages a culture of inclusivity. Lastly, make sure you reinforce the idea that everyone at your company is to be treated with respect. If employees come to you with concerns, make sure you take them seriously and address the issue immediately.
Recognize and Reward Hard Work
Acknowledging hard work is an important part of retaining talented employees. If you don’t have the ability to give bonuses or awards, you should make the effort to verbally compliment your employees on a job well done. A small “thank you” goes a long way towards making people feel appreciated.
Use Humor
Encourage your employees to relate to each other and their tasks with a sense of humor. There may be times when humor is inappropriate, but, generally, things shouldn’t be taken too seriously. This diffuses tension during stressful times and allows employees to build positive relationships with each other. It could be as simple as sending your employees a funny joke or meme at the end of the workday. Be mindful, however, to stay away from anything political, controversial or hurtful.
Embrace Balance
Working hard is important, but it shouldn’t lead to burnout. Actively encourage your employees to have a healthy balance between their work lives and personal lives. There may be periods when overtime is necessary, but it is important to give your employees time off to de-stress. Your team members will come back to the office refreshed and better able to concentrate on their work tasks.
It isn’t hard to create a healthy work environment if you focus on small steps. If you implement a few of these tips, you will see a positive change in your company culture.
