6 ways to create a better work environment

Every business is more likely to succeed when there's a good working environment from the front desk to the board room. Of course, achieving such a state is often easier said than done, and no amount of company retreats or awards dinners are going to make people happy to come to work every day if the actual office environment isn't welcoming and strong.

With that in mind, here are six tips that will help you foster a stronger, better workplace: 

1) Open the paths of communication

One of the biggest issues for any workplace will arise when employees don't feel as though they are being heard, and are also a little unsure of how their work is being viewed by their boss or bosses, according to Bplans. Consequently, scheduling regular employee reviews and making sure to hear all suggestions or criticisms of current processes is a must.

In addition, it can be advisable to encourage more communication between workers so there's a smaller chance certain aspects of a given project slip through the cracks.

2) Recognize hard work

Along similar lines, workers don't need – and often don't want – a big company-wide email or announcement saying they've done a great job to feel valued, Bplans added. Even if their boss pulls them aside and says how much they appreciate the quality of their recent work, for instance, that can go a long way toward making them feel better about work. And of course, the occasional raise for particularly strong performance often helps quite a bit as well.

Open communication and more amenities make offices happier places.

3) Brighten it up

It may sound like a small thing, but if you have a well-lit office, that can make a big difference for employee morale and productivity, according to Business News Daily. While not all offices have the ability to add natural light, those that do should take full advantage, and swap out neons for other types of bulbs that help people feel a little more engaged.

4) Add some amenities

Even if it's something as simple as a set of new and more comfortable office chairs, that can help with not only making employees happier, but also feel appreciated, Business News Daily advised. It can also help to give employees a little more agency to make decisions about how the office as a whole is appointed.

"Make it easy for [workers] to purchase things like exercise balls and plants on the company dime," AJ Shankar, CEO and founder of a software company, told the site. "We also trust our employees to manage their own time. They're free to take breaks to play games or just recharge as necessary."

5) Focus on the meaning behind the work

All too common for many businesses are employees who get bogged down in the work they're doing, and not always remembering why it's important, according to Good & Co. Companies are often founded because someone identified a gap in the marketplace, and filling those gaps is what makes a firm flourish. Redoubling efforts to focus on why the company does what it does could help people feel more engaged with the work they do on a daily basis.

6) Encourage collaboration

While not every coworker is going to get along, when two, three or more employees have to pull in the same direction to complete a project, they are more likely to come out the other side with a greater sense of camaraderie, Good & Co. noted. When workers are on better terms with each other – and not necessarily siloed off doing their own projects all the time – they are more likely to feel better about coming into work every day.

Of course, the more executives can do to regularly evaluate the quality of their office environment and find areas for potential improvement, the better off their companies will be. That's true not only because content employees are generally more productive, but also less likely to leave.

Categorised in: Business Law

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