Every organization has a culture. It is a set of shared values, beliefs, and attitudes. Although some cultures are formed naturally, building a positive culture at work can boost morale and help create a flourishing organization.
You could be stuck in a negative cycle of bad behaviors, poor perceptions and an unmotivated workforce if you leave the company culture up to chance.
What is a positive workplace culture? How do you create a positive work culture? Discover the answers to these important questions by reading on.
What Is A Positive Work Culture?
A positive work culture cultivates productivity, collaboration, and employee satisfaction.
The type of environment you create can improve your productivity and make it more fun to come to work every day.
What Factors Affect Company Culture the Most?
There are many factors that can impact company culture. However, the most significant ones include:
- Leadership and management
- Mission and values of the company
- Benefits and perks
- Growth and Development Opportunities
Why is a Positive Workplace Important?
A positive work environment can affect your ability to hire, retain and attract top talent. Perhaps more importantly, the workplace culture affects employee engagement and productivity–both of which are key factors in your company’s bottom line.
According to a BambooHR survey, 87% said that culture is a significant factor in supporting their business goals.
A negative work environment can negatively affect an employee’s mood. This may reflect in their productivity, their quality of work, or their interactions with their coworkers. A positive work environment can lead to increased productivity, employee growth, and innovation.
What are the Benefits of a Positive Company Culture?
Positive workplace culture has many benefits for your company, including:
- Job satisfaction: Employees are happier when they work for companies that invest in their professional development and well-being. They’ll also stay longer if their voices feel heard.
- Employee Retention: Employees will stay in a company if they are treated fairly and given the resources and tools to succeed. They are less likely to consider other careers if they like their job and the people with whom they work.
- Productivity: Employees that enjoy their jobs and work well with their co-workers are more likely than others to put in extra effort. They can become more motivated to help the company succeed if they feel invested in it.
- Collaboration: A positive workplace culture can promote healthy communication between employees. This allows them to work on projects together, receive and give effective feedback and work harmoniously.
- Employee Morale: If employees are motivated and feel happy at work, it is more likely that they will have high morale.
- Recruitment: A positive working environment will improve the reputation of your company, and make you more appealing to professionals who are looking for a new job.
How to Create a Positive Work Environment
1. Establish Company Values
In order to create a positive working environment, you must first determine the mission and values of your business and then incorporate them into all your activities. When company values are embraced by the leadership of your organization, they can be the foundation for your business and help guide it to success.
2. Foster Communication And Collaboration
It is important to encourage open and honest communication to create a positive work environment. Team lunches and other events at the workplace can help your employees form relationships and get to know each other.
According to a Gallup survey, workplace relationships not only lead to improved collaboration but also to higher retention and workplace satisfaction.
3. Be Flexible
Employees should not be afraid of repercussions if they take time off work to handle responsibilities outside the workplace. Work-life balance can be improved by allowing employees to work from home and according to their schedule. Flexible hiring can attract more candidates
since more and more job-seekers are prioritizing flexibility when they search for a job.
4. Promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Build a positive culture in your company by integrating diversity, equity, and inclusion. Promoting diversity and inclusion can be done through the following practices.
- Incorporate diversity recruitment methods into your hiring process.
- Inform your team about unconscious biases so that everyone can recognize them and work together to prevent them from influencing the workplace culture.
- Create a training program that will foster a diverse work environment.
5. Provide Growth Opportunities
Give your employees the resources and tools they need to develop and learn. Establish regular checkpoints so that you and your employee are both on the same page regarding their growth and development within the company.
Also, you can offer more informal events such as lunch & Learns or workshops to provide growth opportunities.
6. Lead with Compassion
In today’s work environment, empathy is essential. Empathetic managers and leaders listen to their employees and help them get through difficult times. Employees will feel valued and appreciated when they are heard.
7. Recognize Great Work
Your employees will feel appreciated and valued if you recognize and reward their accomplishments. Recognizing and rewarding employees’ efforts can make them feel valued, motivated, and engaged. It can also foster a culture of friendly competition, which can increase performance.
Here are some other ways you can recognize your hard work besides saying “well done” or “great job”.
- Bonuses
- Employee of the Month
- Award-Winning Businesses
- Team shoutouts
- Extra time off
- Prizes
8. Be Transparent
Employees who are engaged immerse themselves in your company and deserve open and clear communication. You can gain the trust of your employees by being open and honest with them about the company’s performance and important decisions.
Consider giving updates every week or month through company newsletters or meetings.
9. Establish Clear Goals
Communicate clearly to employees what they can expect from them. Setting goals can help employees feel motivated and give them something to strive for. You can use them to track and monitor performance.
10. Embrace Employee Feedback
You can identify and solve any problems within your business by regularly requesting feedback from employees. This allows employees to see and hear each other, giving them a feeling of importance in the workplace.
