The characteristics of a positive work environment

One of the factors that may influence how you feel about your current occupation is its work environment. Do you feel that your thoughts are heard? Is your employer fostering an atmosphere that is positive, clear in its communication, and values your efforts? A good work environment may increase your productivity, happiness, and motivate you to do better at your job.

The consequences of a work environment that does not reflect your needs should not be undermined. Occupational burnout or job burnout is a real, WHO-recognized syndrome that is characterized by exhaustion, mental fatigue, and feelings of cynicism towards one’s occupation. It results from chronic stress at the place of one’s work. One of the preventative measures of occupational burnout include communication at work, support from co-workers, and realistic expectations at one’s occupation – all of which can be fostered in a positive work environment.

Defining a positive working environment

A workplace that prioritizes the safety and wellbeing of its employees is a positive one. It fosters growth, attaining goals (both for the overall business and its individual staff) and overall looks towards a collective culture that allows employees to feel comfortable and encouraged. A positive work environment is important because it lessens the chance of employees suffering from occupational burnout, can promote success and happiness, and increase productivity. Here are some of the main benefits to a positive working atmosphere:

Boosted morale

A positive working environment influences more than just a single team member – it influences everyone around them, too. When people start to view their work more positively, it may influence other employees to start to see their responsibilities in a brighter light as well. An improved morale may work best in team settings where the attitude of each employee directly impacts another’s.

Increased productivity

If you want a way to increase your company’s work output without putting too much added stress on your employees, fostering a collective culture and positive work environment may help your employee to look on their work in a better light and encourage them to be more efficient with completing tasks. By becoming more efficient, your staff may then be encouraged by the opportunity of promotions, raises, and other rewards.

Encourages a culture

In your company, you want to foster an atmosphere of growth – both on the individual level, and collectively. When your staff feel they are working together towards a common goal, they may encourage and support one another which can encourage improved professional relationships and a stronger bond. This may even increase your odds of your company achieving many of its goals.

Part of a positive working environment includes a good work-life balance

While a positive working environment focuses on the professional aspect of the employees’ lives, a good working environment will also encourage a healthy balance between one’s professional and private lives. Furthermore, a positive working environment will even encourage employees to seek out fulfillment not only in their work, but also in their personal and family lives.

4 easy ways to foster a positive work environment

Panda7 believes that a positive work environment is crucial to the success of any business. Team building is not a one-way street. Here are four easy ways to foster a positive work environment:

Prioritize comfortability for your team

In order for employees to do their best in their workplace, they should feel comfortable. This means that their workplace should be designed to fit their psychological, cognitive, and physical needs. To do this, workplaces may provide standing desks and/or computers that are positioned which will positively impact employees’ physical pain and encourage focus.

The physical workplace should also be created as comfortably and with as little disruption as possible. Consider furniture that supports a comfortable environment and temperature-regulated interiors.

Implement check-ins

It does not have to be complicated to foster a positive working environment. One of the ways you can do this is by regularly asking your employees how you can do better. Schedule for regular check-ins with each and every one of your employees and ask them for their opinion, or even offer a virtual, anonymous platform where employees can leave comments and feedback. If your employees work remotely, send them a quick email to ask how they are doing. These small interactions may seriously boost your company morale and encourage a positive workforce all around.

Focus on training and onboarding

You may think your company does not have time to fully dedicate multiple weeks to orientation and staff onboarding. However, your new hires are important! While five weeks is the recommended, you should dedicate at least a two-week initiation phase for new staff, including shadowing, joining in on meetings, valuable onboarding documentation, and more.

Educating your staff and making it clear what is expected of them is the first and foremost way to ensuring they know how your organization operates and they have a level head of what they are meant to do. You may want to personally introduce them to other workers who they will be interacting with.

Encourage workplace learning

While it might have served you well to focus on the short-term goals in the past, it is important to set your employees up for success by offering numerous workplace learning and experimentation opportunities. After all, you want your employees to be able to access the information that they require to do their jobs as well as possible. This will help encourage your employees to be as productive as possible and helps motivate them with opportunities to foster professional development.

Suffice to say, a positive work environment has too many benefits to count. It is crucial to foster a positive work environment to encourage success in your team members and overall company! This is why Panda7 believes that a positive work environment. If you are interested in our fun working environments here at Panda7, consider joining our exceptional team!