The environment you work in can drastically effect your mood and motivation. So, it could be argued that the state of your working environment is even more important than your job responsibilities and duties. Working in a place that has a negative atmosphere can make employees unhappy, which can lead to a decrease in productivity and a lack of motivation. Here are 5 ways to create a more positive working environment:
Change it up
Some offices are simply drab, with boring colors and furniture. But, even if your office is painted with bright colors and comfortably furnished, looking at the same things every day can get depressing. Liven up your work space with your favorite pictures, motivational quotes, or even some colorful flowers. Brightening the space up and adding some personal touches will make it more enjoyable and comfortable to work in. If you can move things around and use some feng shui techniques, that will change the energy of the room, as well.
Clean it up
A cluttered environment can lead to disorganized thoughts. It also creates a negative atmosphere. So, if your desk is messy and unorganized, clean it up and organize it. You’ll be surprised how quickly that some simple cleaning and organization can alter not only the atmosphere, but also your mood.
Team- building exercises
Team-building exercises always boost morale and put employees in a good mood They build trust and a sense of camaraderie between co-workers. They also allow employees to talk to people with whom they seldom interact with at work. Some employees really don’t get to socialize with people that they work with while they’re on the clock and these exercises fulfill their social needs. The attitude of employees after team-building exercises is more positive, which makes the working environment more positive.
Good communication
A lack of communication can not only be frustrating, it can cause catastrophic misunderstandings. In an office environment, it should be commonplace to frequently communicate with supervisors to get updates, tips, and other important information. There are many ways to do this, varying from regular team meetings to utilizing a company email server or instant messaging system. But, no matter which method your company chooses to use, it’s still important to use face-to-face communication often, as well. Some things just aren’t adequately conveyed through text.
Motivate and inspire
Many office workers feel as though their efforts and achievements go largely unacknowledged. This is dangerous because if they feel like that it doesn’t matter how well they do, they won’t strive to do a good job. There are lots of ways to motivate and inspire your employees, however. You can take time to tell your employees that they’re doing a good job and that they’re appreciated, you could say it in a newsletter, awards can be given out, contests can be held with prizes for top performers or teams, etc. But, it’s important that it gets done because it will boost morale and create positive energy in the office when your employees feel happy and appreciated.
Of course, these are only some ways to create a more positive working environment. It’s very likely that after you do some of the things mentioned on this list, you’ll be inspired to do something else to change the energy of your working environment, as well. And once you’ve started working to change the atmosphere to a more positive one, you’ll notice how much happier and less stressed out that the employees seem to be.