The first principle of my blog is Creating Ecosystems of Success and a key focus is Career Discussions. When you’re managing a workplace or a business, you want to make the environment as favorable as possible for your staff. Doing so will increase their productivity and overall happiness at work. The following contributed post is entitled, Little Changes That Make A Big Impact On The Workplace.
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What’s the difference between a happy team and a miserable one in the workplace? Sometimes, it’s less than you might imagine. Humans are often driven by needs that are a little simpler and even trivial seeming, but ensuring they’re fulfilled can be great for any work environment. Here are a few examples to consider.
A little appreciation
You wouldn’t believe how few people get genuinely thanked for their work. A simple thank you isn’t enough, you need to acknowledge the role people play and why you value them in the workplace for them to really feel the effects. You might even make a little show of it with workplace trophies for your annual party or the like.
A real break room
It has been shown time and time again that eating lunch at your work desk is detrimental to your emotional health, to your productivity, not to mention that it’s pretty unhygienic. A break isn’t supposed to feel like simply taking the necessary time to eat at work, it’s supposed to feel like a clean break from work, and having a break room where people can do that, even with a few games or distractions, can be excellent at refreshing them for the latter part of the workday.
Tasty treats for the team
Satisfying the occasional need for indulgence and treating the team can have a big effect on morale and make them feel a lot more cared for and appreciated. It can be as simple as getting them a box of danishes to share, or you can go as far as installing a commercial roaster so they have fresh made coffee shop-quality coffee at the ready. It can do a lot to improve how well your team feels they are treated.
Some life to the office
Most steps to improve the office will have a significant effect over time, but perhaps one of the simplest and most surprisingly beneficial improvements is bringing an office plant into the environment. They are known to reduce stress, increase positivity, and boost creative thought simply by making the office a more lively and colorful place, and they may have some health benefits, such as helping with air quality and noise level reduction.
Team lunches, dinners, or drinks
As mentioned, a tasty treat improves morale, but enjoy it together can also improve the sense of belonging and togetherness in the team. Arranging for a once-a-week team lunch, once-a-fortnight team dinner, or once-a-month team drinks can help foster stronger social bonds in the team. This can make it a lot easier for them to feel comfortable when collaborating on projects for their work, as well.
The above changes to the workplace can have more of an impact than you might imagine, but don’t expect that any trophy or cup of coffee will make up for toxic management practices, unfair demands, or culture of bullying, for instance. If there’s rot at the core of the office, you still need to deal with it.
