Creating a Positive Workplace Culture
Culture is the environment that surrounds us all the time. A workplace culture is the shared values, belief systems, attitudes and the set of assumptions that people in a workplace share. This is shaped by individual upbringing, social and cultural context. In a workplace, however, the leadership and the strategic organizational directions and management influence the workplace culture to a huge extent. A positive workplace culture improves teamwork, raises morale, increases productivity and efficiency, and enhances retention of the workforce. Job satisfaction, collaboration, and work performance are all enhanced. And, most importantly, a positive work environment reduces stress in employees.
Establish clear ethos and values for the organization. It is important to have a set of clear organizational core values that are communicated effectively and discussed with the employees so that they feel part of it. It is crucial that demonstrable actions are taken regularly so that the employees feel an individual and personal responsibility towards these values. This will ensure that they can evaluate their own attitudes towards these positive core values, and take pride in them. Positive attitudes and positive actions make for a positive workplace culture.
Foster collaboration and communication. Leadership and management style that encourages teamwork, open and honest communication is vital to creating a positive feeling in the workplace. Open and honest communication also means that regular audits are taken to evaluate how people are interacting with each other, feedback is welcomed and taken on board, and opportunities for social interaction are enabled. These can include coffee mornings, team getaways and family weekends. This gives an opportunity for team members to nurture and foster connections outside of work.
Create an inclusive work environment. A positive workplace is one where all the employees are valued, supported and nurtured irrespective of gender, sexual orientation or color. All employees should have equal opportunities to progress and equal access to all the perks and rewards on offer. An inclusive workplace is one that values individual differences in the workforce and makes them feel welcome and accepted. Include signage that supports inclusivity, is clear and positive. Language can create confusion and miscommunication. Careful use of language that reinforces the gender-conscious and inclusive ethos, such as that emphasizing the function of space rather than the gender identity of users is important.
Create clear goals and rewards for the employees. Motivated and engaged employees can be created if they are treated equally and have clear goals that they can work towards. Having a transparent policy for progression and promotion offers the staff an opportunity to measure their performance. Measurable performance indicators will mean that there would be healthy competition, but this kind of honest policy statement would help avoid negative feelings and resentment amongst the team members towards each other. When goals are positively reinforced, and achievements are recognized and celebrated, it leads to employees feeling valued which in turn creates a positive feeling in the workplace.
A positive culture in the workplace is essential for fostering a sense of pride and ownership amongst the employees. When people take pride, they invest their future in the organization and work hard to create opportunities that will benefit the organization. By identifying and rewarding those who are actively striving towards creating a positive work culture, and supporting others around them, companies can encourage others to do the same. Positive attitudes and behavior in the workplace are the direct results of effective leadership and a positive management style.
Adapted from SHRM.
Welcome! Diana Vida, SHRM-SCP, SPHR
InvigorateHR is excited to announce that Diana Vida, SHRM-SCP, SPHR has joined our team! Progressive HR leadership is Diana’s mantra. With nearly 15 years of human resource experience from Fortune 500 companies, Diana’s expertise lies in helping leaders identify how human capital (people) can most effectively contribute to organizational growth and success. Her leadership roles in strategic HR and talent management have provided her the experience of leading efforts such as succession management, talent acquisition, workforce planning, performance and change management, merger and acquisition integration, and organizational
development.
People are Diana’s passion—both in and outside the workplace. Her genuine care and concern for helping people achieve their best enables her to use her knowledge and skills in developing people strategies that benefit both the individual and the organization.
Click Here to check out our Blog on reasons why your Black employees keep quitting.
Did You Know…
Today's work environment is fiercely competitive when it comes to attracting and retaining the best talent. InvigorateHR can assist you in developing and implementing the right talent acquisition strategy to provide your business with a competitive edge in hiring the best and the brightest. InvigorateHR's strategic approach to talent acquisition can equip your business with the tools and resources necessary to attract the talent you need. We also can be your partner in identifying talent for your needs through our hourly-based retained search. Let us do the screening, interviewing, background checking, etc. for you.
Looking for a new book to read?
This month we will highlight, The 6 Stages of Cultural Mastery.
Find out more about the book here.