Cult of personality: Building a more positive workplace culture in 90 days
by Camille Ussery, senior vice president, BTH Bank, vice chairman of community division for the RCC
Building a positive workplace culture results in happier employees, which in turn, improves efficiencies and creates more satisfied clients. Basically, a happy workplace is good for everyone.
The question is, how can you create a positive, supporting workplace culture quickly. Check out these tips to get started.
Be approachable
You might tell your employees that you have an open-door policy, but do you really make them feel comfortable approaching you?
Take a few minutes each day to interact with your employees. Listen to their ideas, and help them solve problems they're having.
When you show genuine interest in your employees, they know that you care about them and appreciate the work they do — and they'll be a lot more comfortable entering your office to have a chat when needed.
Greet team members as you pass in the hallways and smile frequently — it's important for the boss to lead the way and small gestures like this show your employees that you're happy and they should be too.
Look for new hires that fit in
To create a positive work culture, your employees need to get along. It's important for hiring managers to look for qualities in job applicants that would help them fit into your company culture.
It might take you a bit longer to find someone to fill a job, but finding someone who "gets" your company's culture is worth the wait.
Design an open floor plan
Having a large, open floor plan lets your employees communicate and collaborate with each other easily. This creates stronger team bonds and that alone can make your employees happy.
While work shouldn't be all about socializing, it is an important part of making your employees happy, and happier employees get more work done.
Have some fun
Don't be afraid to let loose once in a while. It's good to have some fun with your employees. It shows them that you're just a regular person and enjoy laughter and fun.
Host company-wide events such as a family picnic or an office holiday party. You can also host team-building events such as a trip to the nearest escape room facility.
Employees appreciate simpler activities as well. Consider a 15-minute coffee and cake break for the collective team. Celebrate the non-traditional holidays with simple refreshments as a team.
Recognize accomplishments
Many team members enjoy public recognition and others appreciate a simple thank you note. Take time to know what is motivating for each team member.
Set attainable goals for your employees and recognize employees who meet or exceed their goals. Small milestones grow into larger accomplishments when employees know they are a valued team member.
Alternatively, start an Employee of the Month program and let your employees nominate their co-workers for the award.
Creating a positive work environment doesn't have to be difficult. The key to success is getting your employees to bond and interact with each other and ensure they feel valued and supported.
