Just as a toxic workplace breeds employee discontent as negativity and lousy behavior permeate the environment, a positive workplace culture spreads attitudes and actions that lead to desirable outcomes.
The atmosphere is one in which people feel valued, respected, supported, and treated well. They understand the company’s purpose and their part in business success.
What do companies that invest effort into developing a better workplace culture stand to gain? The bottom line is happier workers. When employee satisfaction goes up, great things follow.
For starters, retention increases because content employees see less reason to leave their current situation. Feeling a sense of belonging and that the employer truly cares about employee well-being promotes loyalty.
Other impacts of a positive workplace culture include:
Improved morale and teamwork
People like being around one another. They pitch in, collaborate, boost each other’s spirits, lean on colleagues, and come together to achieve goals.
Increased productivity
Happy workers put forth more effort. They invest in the company’s mission and see themselves as vital to achieving objectives. Employees can easily stay on task without the drama, conflicts, and second-guessing in toxic workplaces. They focus on results.
Better health
Positive work environments benefit people both mentally and physically. They decrease stress, burnout, and anxiety. Likewise, fewer headaches, stomach issues, sleep problems, and other ailments mean lower absenteeism rates. Feeling good also helps people perform better.
Enhanced reputation
Happy workers speak well of their employer. They serve as excellent brand ambassadors, which can help organizations attract customers and new employees. Excitement and interest spread.
Cultivating a positive workplace culture
Wouldn’t it be awesome to wave a magic wand and create a positive environment? Unfortunately, no such cure-all exists. Organizations that want to reap the benefits of a positive company culture must put in the effort.
Begin with clarity, commitment, and identification of core values. The core values your business embodies and upholds are crucial. What do you want to achieve? What expectations and practices should all at the company share?
Convey your answers early and often. Hire new employees who display the positive attitude you want to witness. Recognize and promote current employees who embody the spirit of your organization.
Keep seeking ways to improve. Get input from the entire staff through surveys, anonymous suggestion boxes, and town hall meetings. Learn what they see as organizational strengths and weaknesses. What would lead to greater job satisfaction? Alleviating which problems would immediately impact morale or employee performance?
Pay close attention to the answers of your top talent. Stay interviews are a great way to figure out what keeps them around and what might make them look for employment elsewhere. They also are likely to provide critical insight into what makes your company unique or special.
Seeking outside help to improve workplace culture
Reading about notable corporate cultures may inspire your own company’s improvement efforts. What makes specific organizations recognized as a Great Place to Work? What can you learn from them? How did toxic workplace environments turn themselves around?
Remember to stay true to your company’s mission and personality. What works for one business does not always work for another. Decorating every inch of your cubicle with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle memorabilia fits in with Zappos’s core value of “create fun and a little weirdness”; such an action would stand out like a sore thumb at a bank. Remain genuine.
Some employers hire consultants or other third parties to evaluate corporate culture and make suggestions. Others may bring experts to educate leaders and employees in certain critical areas. For instance, boosting emotional intelligence can result in greater empathy, more effective conflict resolution, and a better ability to put oneself in another’s shoes. Teaching bystander intervention techniques can help people feel more comfortable taking action against bullying and other destructive behavior.
The role of leadership in a positive work culture
Creating an admirable company culture involves commitment from the top down. The leadership team sets the tone, and others model their actions and behaviors. The modus operandi of those in charge becomes the internalized norm—this is how we do things around here.
How can managers who would like to improve workplace culture do so? Success often results from these initiatives:
Prioritize psychological safety
Good things happen when workers feel comfortable presenting their authentic selves at work. Supervisors can encourage everyone to offer input, refuse to tolerate anyone belittling or putting down the ideas of others, and generate a mindset of team members having each other’s backs. Inclusion and acceptance boost the sense of belonging and reduce stress. Plus, putting a more excellent range of possibilities on the table improves innovation and decision-making.
Commit to open communication and regular feedback
Give workers a voice and multiple outlets to use it. Doing so shows you value their ideas and opinions, which increases their feelings of worth. Be approachable and listen actively.
As you seek their constructive criticism, be sure to offer it to them, too. Workers want to know if they are doing things “right.” Your reassurance helps them relax and gain confidence. And taking a can-do attitude toward what needs improvement sets the stage for accomplishment.
Keep people posted on company matters. Transparency promotes trust and keeps the rumor mill from filling in gaps with speculation. If you don’t know something, admit it rather than fabricate it.
Offer clarity
People want to understand what their employer expects from them. They feel anxious when regularly exposed to chaos and uncertainty. In a positive workplace culture, workers know what to do because goals, priorities, and deadlines are clear.
Show appreciation
Through formal employee recognition programs and spur-of-the-moment “thank yous,” leave no doubt that management notices good work. Bosses who share credit build a work environment where their charges feel proud of their accomplishments and contributions to the team.
Be supportive
Routinely ask the simple but powerful question, “How can I help?” Get to know workers as individuals, including their motivations, career aspirations, and professional development interests. Build rapport through regular 1:1 meetings.
Supporting work-life balance is especially critical. Knowing workers’ challenges enables better strategizing about juggling personal and professional obligations.
Extend autonomy
As much as possible, let employees take ownership of their work. Act as a coach rather than as a micromanager. You’ll build trust while letting people know you are there as a guide and resource as needed. Consider ways to offer flexibility regarding where, when, and how work gets done. Greater control over their tasks improves employee engagement.
Act professionally
A mature supervisor gains respect and sets an office tone. Own up to your mistakes, and don’t blame others. Follow the established workplace rules, and hold your direct reports responsible for doing the same. Exhibit ethical behavior. Avoid favoritism and create a level playing field. Reject childish acts such as temper tantrums and gossip.
Take care of problems
Being a manager sometimes involves doing the “hard” stuff, such as initiating uncomfortable conversations or enacting discipline. Do not put off these tasks, including calling individuals out for excessive negativity. A more positive workplace culture results when team members witness action over lip service. They trust you to protect their work environment and keep it from turning toxic.
Be pleasant
It sounds simple, but practicing common courtesies improves the atmosphere in the work environment. Greet one another, hold doors open, offer compliments, and say “please” and “thank you.”
Build camaraderie
Social events and team-building activities allow staff to interact with one another in enjoyable, positive ways. Having fun improves the employee experience and encourages forming bonds.
Measuring the success of your workplace culture initiatives
Various methods exist to determine if your organization is on the right track. Some ways are more subjective than others, but they all should assist.
Look at employee retention rates. How were they before the company began focusing on building a positive culture, and where do they stand now? Stats showing less turnover are a good sign.
Similarly, compare job application rates over that timeframe. More interest can signify that candidates see your company as a desirable workplace.
Data on tardiness and absenteeism proves helpful, too. People in toxic work environments have difficulty mustering the energy to face the day. They also suffer more physical and mental ailments. If workers are now coming in on time and more regularly, consider it a win.
Surveying employees before starting cultural improvement initiatives reveals where things stand. Then, you can ask the same questions later to see if the results improve. Continue to survey periodically to monitor changes over time.
Look, too, at event attendance figures. Are they going up? Increased participation in social activities, corporate volunteering, industry events, and the like can signify happier employees who like being around colleagues.
Some companies seek Great Place to Work certification or other recognized symbols of achievement. Committing to meeting the established criteria helps guide cultural improvement efforts, and earning the distinction becomes a tangible goal.
Finally, always consider the value of observation. Innovative leaders regularly take time to look and listen in the workplace. What is the general tone on the floor? Do colleagues interact with each other? Do workers seem engaged and happy? What body language do you read?
If answers to these questions improve over time, you can feel more confident that you are developing a positive workplace culture.
More Resources:
Respect in the workplace: Tips for leaders and employees
Workplace resilience: The key to thriving in challenging times
Toxic employee undermining boss? How to stop workplace rumors
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