The Importance of a Positive and Respectful Workplace Culture
Positivity and respect in the workplace will always bring invaluable benefits to its employees. Perhaps without needing to say so, it will also produce as much benefit for organizations 100% of the time.
The Price of Positivity at Work
An organization with happy employees have to contend with:
- High levels of company morale
- A resilient, cohesive team
- Solid productivity
- Motivated employees going above and beyond
- Low turnover and little absenteeism
“Wow,” you say! I agree. So how do you get there? The following tips are by no means exhaustive, as one could write several volumes on the subject. But here are some simple rules you should stick to that will ensure your workplace is a positive and respectful one.
Tips to Build A Positive Workplace Culture
Ensure Everyone Feels Valued
A good start toward positivity is to make your employees feel appreciated and valued. Show them that you have faith in what they do. And make sure they know this. That is why you hired them, right? You want to create an environment that welcomes individual insight, cooperative brainstorming, and creativity. You do this by building everyone’s confidence in the workplace.
When employees are motivated and feel they are contributing to a company’s bottom line and success, they believe their contributions are essential.
You Are Not Invisible, Are You?
Do you remember a time, when you worked somewhere, and your supervisor passed you daily without a single word?
Or worse, you had no idea who upper management was?
How committed did you feel at that job? I can hazard a guess: not very. Management needs to be seen and interacted with. The smaller your office is, the better. Keep your door open. Do you have glass walls? It’s something to consider.
The more seen you are by the very people that keep your organization running, the more accessible you become to them. And that is a good thing. Being approachable builds trust. When you have trust from your employees, they feel empowered, respected, and a valuable part of the organization.
Be Personable to Build Trust
Learn employee names, details of their lives, and always say hello.
Building trust, however, does not happen overnight. So, take the time to be seen and approachable. Roam the office and ask employees how they are doing. Ask what they are working on and show them how it matters. And it all matters.
What is Your Culture?
Does your workplace have a culture that inspires employees to do their best? Do you know the kind of culture you want to nurture? Make sure it is clearly defined. Spell out the core values and mission of your company so it’s explicit and becomes engrained.
Involve your employees in defining your company’s culture. Try to make the culture as much theirs as it is for the company. In other words, give them a stake in promoting and protecting it. Build the company culture so employees feel they are an essential part of what it is. Employee engagement is essential. You do not want this to be top-down! Remember that your organization’s culture is not static. It will always be evolving and adapting to your organization’s vision.
Embrace Different Perspectives
An organization that places respect for diversity at the top of its list enjoys the many benefits of a cohesive workforce. It should go without saying, but your organization’s policy must enforce a zero-tolerance approach to any form of discrimination. The same goes for bullying and harassment. Every employee is unique and should be valued for their contribution to the company’s success. An inclusive work environment celebrates unique perspectives and values differences. An essential aspect of team building is open communication.
People will have different perspectives and need to believe their opinion matters. Even if it is not the right one. Respecting and encouraging the individuality of every employee creates a safe environment where individuals are comfortable being themselves. It also creates a platform for individuals to freely share their ideas and insight.
Provide Training
Unfortunately, in the real world, there will always be exceptions. And this will occur no matter how hard you have worked to make your organization a wonderful place for your employees to thrive in. Make training, such as workshops on diversity and civility in the workplace an essential part of your organization’s onboarding process.
Creating positivity and a respectful workplace is not a massive undertaking. By applying principals of basic human decency in your organization, you might be surprised by how far that alone will take you and your employees.
