6 Ways to Create a Positive Work Space
By Asfa Shakeel
When managing a workspace, it is not enough to focus on increasing your employees’ productivity and profit margins. There is also a need for a direct focus on their level of happiness and whether or not they enjoy spending the day at their desks.
Not many workplaces focus on creating a positive environment, even though it is extremely easy to do so. If you’re managing a workplace and looking to engender more positivity, you’ve come to the right place! Find some great and simple ideas below on how to create a positive workplace.
1) Positive Reinforcement
Often times we get stuck on the negative traits of people around us and what we think they should improve. We do not comment as much on their good qualities because we think these are all things they are bound to already be aware of. However, that is not always the case, so try and appreciate your colleagues where you can see that they are making an effort and trying hard.
2) Incorporate Natural Light
Having harsh white light shone on your face all day can make the workplace eventually become dark and dreary. Incorporate some natural light with a glass wall or some large windows and it will automatically make the workplace look and feel a little brighter.
3) Make Sure There Are Good Chairs
Your employees sit for a majority of their day, and sitting in uncomfortable positions can wreak havoc on their health and postures. Ensure that everyone has comfortable and adjustable chairs so that they are not going home with a backache every night.
4) Make Room to Rest & Relax
While you may not want to accept this, all of your employees have probably fallen asleep at their desks at some point in the day. Create a room where employees can whisk away for half an hour during the day for a power nap or a chat with friends, and their happiness and productivity levels will both shoot up.
5) Keep Work At Office Only
One of the biggest reasons for employee dissatisfaction is that they work 8 hours in the office and then have to take the work home with them as well. Don’t let that be the case, ensure that once an employee has done their job and left the office, that they do not get bombarded with calls and emails about the work they have to do from home.
6) Safe Place to Work
Ensure that the environment is a safe space for everyone working there – whether it’s an employee or an intern, it is important that they feel safe and respected in the workplace. Unless they do, they will not even be able to fully contribute their skills, which is a lose-lose.
Any one of the aforementioned ideas is a good place to start engendering positivity in the workplace, but don’t stop after implementing them. Creating positivity should go hand in hand with growing your business. Just as you never stop coming up with ideas to take it a step further, you should never stop coming up with ideas to make your workplace better. These are essential if we want to collectively do away with the burnout and bad health associated with work environments.