A lot has changed in the past two years, revolutionizing the workplace. As a result, phenomena, such as ‘The Great Resignation’, have shown that employees are not simply leaving their jobs for better salaries, but to leave toxic cultures where they felt disrespected.
Workers want a proper work atmosphere. They will leave if they aren’t doing something that inspires them or if they don’t feel valued.
Supercharge your team and inspire collaborations. This will result in a positive work environment with engaged employees who actually want to be there.
What is a toxic environment?
A toxic workplace is a term associated with work environments where employees’ abilities to be productive or creative is hindered by the negative culture created by a number of factors which could be caused by manager, work colleagues or the company’s values or lack thereof.
What are the signs of a toxic work environment?
It is critical to recognize the red flags of a toxic culture in order to resolve it and prevent it from occurring.
Some signs are a decrease in productivity and creativity from employees. They don’t feel motivated to work or even enjoy what they are doing. They might also be calling in sick constantly or there is high employee turnover. If there is a repeating pattern of employees leaving after working for a short period of time, it’s most likely a toxic work environment.
Workers being overworked and many suffering from burnout and having little or no work-life balance is another sign. There’s no empathy for the employee’s well-being and puts pressure on them to put deadlines over their own personal lives.
If employee’s ideas are shut down and their input isn’t valued, this will lead to them finding another company where they can feel enthusiastic about their projects and have a voice that is actually listened to.
A work culture filled with gossip, sarcastic comments and other passive-aggressive behaviors makes it very difficult for employees to focus on their work or even enjoy going to the office.
Other signs of a toxic work environment are:
- Constant harsh and unhelpful feedback.
- Managers micromanaging their employees.
- Workers not being comfortable speaking up and expressing their opinions.
- Poor communication and lack of transparency.
- Unclear goals and ambiguous roles.
What is an inspiring work culture?
A positive workplace promotes the wellbeing and productivity of workers. This occurs by making their experience more stimulating, meaningful and enjoyable. A supportive and trusting work environment also increases employee morale and creates better connections within the team.
How to create a positive work environment
The best way to have an inspiring workplace is to start from the beginning with the onboarding process. If a new hire doesn't go through a smooth transition and isn't trained properly then they are more likely to leave or might create tension in the office. New employees who feel valued right from the start become more committed to their company.
New hires, and all employees in general, need to be offered consistent opportunities to learn and need to be given the right tools in order to succeed. If your team knows that they can ask for guidance, they won’t feel lost and they’ll know where to find resources for help.
Employers need to give their team a sense of purpose with meaningful work, and realistic expectations and goals. Let your team know that you are confident in their abilities and that you trust them to tackle big projects. Workers also have to be given the freedom to be creative and come up with innovative ideas.
Acknowledge the hard work of your team: verbal praise is important but promotion and salary raises to top performers are great incentives as well. Apart from recognizing their work, make sure to protect the mental health of your employees. They should feel comfortable expressing their thoughts. They need time off to disconnect and recharge, meaning that their schedules should allow them to have their own lives and be able to relax.
The office culture should be professional but make sure it’s fun and lighthearted as well. Organize team building activities such as escape rooms to encourage connections and team collaboration. Plan special events such as dinners with the whole team or special office days like ‘bring your pet to work day’. Make traditions that employees enjoy and look forward to. This will bring the team closer together and will motivate them to be more committed to the company.
Benefits of a positive work environment
- Employee retention.
- Increase in productivity.
- Happier employees.
- Committed workers who are excited about what the future holds.
- Increased team morale.
- Higher efficiency levels.
- Results in the creation of more unique, out of the box ideas.
