In today’s business environment, employees are experiencing a lot of stressors and challenges – more so than ever before. It can be a challenge to create an environment that fosters both positivity and productivity. 

But there are a lot of ways that you can create a positive workplace culture that will draw in high quality employees who want to stay with your company. 

Here we’ll go over a few tips for increasing the positivity in your work environment, whether you’re back in the office or still working remotely. 

Constant and Effective Communication

Communication is one of the easiest and most effective ways to create a positive environment for your workplace. Employees want to feel engaged with the company as a whole, and they don’t like to feel left out of any updates or changes that are happening. 

Constant communication means that you are keeping in touch with your employees on a regular basis. For some departments this might mean daily emails or meetings; or it may mean weekly emails or meetings. It’s important that you figure out what works for you and your staff. Be sure to include them as much as possible.

Effective communication means that you’re communicating with your employees in a way that is helpful and productive. For example, if you’re only communicating via email, but an employee is feeling left out or confused about a project, it might be time to start scheduling meetings – virtual or in person. 

Incentives for Employees

When companies think of giving their employees incentives, sometimes they think it has to be a big incentive, like a huge bonus or something similar. This is not true. Many employees appreciate even the simplest of “thank you” and acknowledgment. 

One example of a relatively easy incentive is more paid time off. Even just an additional day or two to let them know you appreciate their hard work can make a big difference. 

This could also be in-office incentives. Things like free lunch every Friday, or offering daycare options to families, or free gym membership.

Employees want to know that their efforts are seen and appreciated. While most people don’t feel like they have to be rewarded for everything they do, employees do appreciate some form of “thank you” for their hard work. 

Social and Mental Wellbeing

Considering your staff’s social and mental wellbeing is essential in creating a positive workplace culture. It’s important that you create opportunities for your staff to socialize and get to know one another. 

This can be achieved at the office and remotely through the use of apps such as Slack and the Watercooler app,which we discussed during our recent Tenant Talks on the topic of Evolving Organizations + People.

Be sure to check in with your employees often to see how they are doing. You can do this through surveys distributed by Human Resources or personal check in meetings between HR and the employee. 

Another important aspect to your employee’s wellbeing is eye fatigue and mental fatigue which can happen after staring at a screen for too long. Encourage your team to take mental and physical health breaks throughout the day, every day. 

Personalization and Flexibility

In today’s work climate, personalization and flexibility are important. Each company has to figure out what works best for them and their departments. This may mean that some employees are in the office full time, at home full time, or a combination of in-office and at home. 

Personalization and flexibility means that your company offers alternatives to the standard ways of working. For example, businesses have started using “hoteling” which is when employees can reserve desks on days that they come into the office. 

Many employees have said they’d be willing to give up their own desk in exchange for being able to work from home 3-5 days per week. By surveying and asking your employees about their preferences, you can come up with a plan that works for your company as a whole. 

Workspaces That Harbor Productivity

Make sure that the technology, furniture, software and other resources are everything  your employees need to be productive. Employees want to feel like they are good at their job, but they need the right equipment for their workspaces. The office layout is important in increasing productivity as well. 

Technology

Provide them with the technology they need to succeed at their job, even if they don’t work in the office. If you are allowing employees to work from home, it’s important that you provide them with the tools they need to do their job. 

Office Layout Options

The right office layout for you might entail multiple types of offices. For example, single offices that people can either share or have to themselves, cubicles that people can reserve when they come into the office, or open coworking areas that people can use to collaborate on projects. Having these options makes it easy for any employee to be productive while they are in the office, no matter what they need to do.

These are just a few tips to creating a positive workplace culture, no matter where your team is working from. With constant communication, the right tools, and good leadership, a positive work culture will come naturally. Use this as a guide to increase productivity and keep employees happy.