and how it effects a work place. Many of us might feel it is unnecessary. However, it is good to keep in mind that regulations and laws to protect employees have been in place for decades. Teaching workers how to understand and follow these guidelines is a positive step in creating a better work environment.
I know I have underestimated the importance of a healthy work environment in the past. When creating a business, it might be something that is placed on the back burner – especially in the early days of formation. That being said, making our place of business somewhere employees want to work can really boost overall productivity.
The Importance of a Positive Work Environment
Consider the topic of workplace culture. Forbes has several resources on this, including this one: https://www.forbes.com/sites/pragyaagarwaleurope/2018/08/29/how-to-create-a-positive-work-place-culture/?sh=1e7c4fd24272. For many of us, we find it really important that the values of our employer line up with our own personal values.
They don’t need to align precisely, or in all ways. That being said, they should at least co exist in some form or another – no one wants to work somewhere that they have to put aside their own code of values or ethics, after all. So, establishing a firm set of belief systems in your business is important.
There are plenty of notable benefits to doing this. One is higher employee retention rate. If we are happy in our place of work, we are obviously a lot less likely to leave! This is especially important in keeping the most productive and best workers. They can be a positive force that the rest of the employees revolve around and follow the example of!
Of course, it also increases the overall efficiency and productivity of a work force. Higher levels of teamwork are a big part of this. When we can cooperate with others and collaborate to get results, rather than feeling the need to compete with them, the end produce is generally much better.
This usually results in a higher level of job satisfaction, which also lends into that increased rate of retention I mentioned before. Reducing overall stress in the work place will also be a positive. If these all sound like good things, you’re right! So, now you might be wondering…
How to Establish a Positive Work Environment?
There are several different options here. For example, you may want to start with compliance training for employees – something like this can help kick start your journey in creating a comfortable, safe, and healthy atmosphere in your place of work. Adhering to federal, state, and local laws and industry standards should always be considered when approaching the rest of the steps I’ll detail.
When hiring people, it is probably a good idea to take an interest in their lives. No one wants to feel like a mindless drone for the place that they work at. Friendly banter and conversation will help people feel more welcome in their environment. This is especially true for new hires, but it is important to make sure that employees already working at a company feel seen, heard, and understood – particularly in relation to their potential concerns about work.
Before you consider this, though – you might want to start by creating a code of conduct for your place of business that very clearly establishes the values of it. Some examples of this are taking action on the issue of climate change by “going green” or even social justice.
While you can state these things, it’s critical that you demonstrate it in tangible ways as well. If you claim your company is going green, you could commit to this by going paperless with your communication. That’s just one situation where you can show your commitment to establishing these policies and ethics!
Compliance Training and Workplace Atmosphere
Like I’ve mentioned a few times before in this article so far, you may want to consider looking into compliance training to help with creating a positive space. CEO Magazine has a few articles like this one that detail some of the process. It can be complex trying to do something like this, after all.
Attempting to do it on your own might feel insurmountable. After all, when building a business, you will obviously have a lot of things on your plate and to keep in mind. Creating a space for employees to feel safe and comfortable in is something we shouldn’t let slip through the cracks.
Getting professional training both for yourself and the team of people working for you can streamline this process. If you’re feeling uncertain about it, I would recommend at least doing some research on it. That being said, I really can’t recommend it enough for business owners and partners!