An average person spends about 43-50 hours in a week at their place of work. Amid the pressure of completing tasks, assignments, targets etc., it is not uncommon for a business owner to end up sidelining the importance of creating a positive work environment.

A typical place of work has different personalities working under the same roof. Ensuring that the work environment remains harmonious and upbeat is often a challenge. Creating a positive atmosphere within the office leads to a happy and motivated workforce. A happy employee will always be more productive than a sluggish, depressed and a stressed one! While most orgnaisations leave this part of the job to the Human Resource (HR) department, the truth is that each team member must play their part in creating a positive work environment.

These 7 simple steps, can help you create a happy place of work.

1. Start with gratitude

Starting the week with gratitude can go a long way in boosting overall morale and confidence of employees. Gratitude is nothing but being thankful and appreciative of who you are and where you are. Create a platform where every team member can express their genuine gratitude to each other. This is the first step towards building a positive work environment.

2.  Give positive feedback

Many people complain that they are not given a genuine feedback for the work they do. This can really impact their performance, reduce their growth and improvement opportunities and ultimately can result in high attrition rates. It is important that employees are given feedback in a positive and constructive manner so as not to belittle them in any way. A task might not have turned out as you wanted it to be, but constructive feedback can be given to the employee to correct it. This will also reduce the chances of errors in the future. 

3. Communicate clearly

Good communication is the key to fostering a positive work environment. Be very clear about what you want to convey. If you see that there are underlying issues, take it up instead of brushing things under the carpet. Healthy dialogue and communication fosters trust and employee compatibility.

4. Are you listening?

All team members are there to add value to the organisation. Encourage your team to voice their ideas and listen to them. Letting people put forward their ideas and views conveys that you value them. Also remember that every employee is different. Reach out to the more silent ones and engage them in productive conversations. This will bolster their confidence.

5. Appreciate hard work

As Voltaire said, “Appreciation is a wonderful thing. It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.” Recognising hard work will encourage people to continue giving their best at work. Good employees are an inspiration for others in the organisation to strive harder.

You can also hand out gift cards, movie tickets or other small gestures to appreciate and acknowledge a task well done. These small acts of appreciation will reinforce commitment to upcoming tasks and will create a healthy work environment.

 6. Are you having fun?

“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”. This saying holds true when it comes to creating a happy work environment. When work becomes monotonous, it can take a toll on the productivity of team members. Organising small activities and events to engage them can create wonders. Celebrate festivals and birthdays to make the work environment lively. Encourage your employees to take short breaks during the day or let them decorate their desk the way they want to. This helps to create a happy work space that reflects the personality of each team member.

7. Set your mood right

Last but not the least, don’t let a bad mood affect your behaviour towards your employees, especially if s/he has no role in it. Be thoughtful, kind and generous towards them. A random act of kindness can go a long way. Send a note for example saying, “thank you for your support in this project”.

We hope these tips help you build a great workspace. Afterall, happy employees will always bring in happy customers. Do share in the comments section below if you have more such tips to make your workspace a positive one.