5 ways to optimise workplace culture

Strong workplace culture is paramount to a thriving company. While a supportive workplace can boost morale and productivity, a stressful environment can quickly turn a workplace into a negative and sometimes toxic place. A positive work environment promotes a successful business and a supportive workspace for employees to grow and thrive. 

Furthermore, building a solid team can positively affect your business’s value against other industry entities by reducing employee turnover and increasing productivity. It might seem trivial, but happy employees boost productivity and staff retention – which inflicts a positive impact on productivity, revenue and enquiry. Employees are the face of your business – if they’re happy, customers are more likely to return after having a positive experience.

A company’s workplace sets the tone of employee productivity and company loyalty, so a nurturing space should always start from the employer and management and filter through the workplace. Workplace culture is one of those “make or break” scenarios. If you have passionate, productive employees, then it will lead to a successful team. If not, it can be disastrous. If you’re looking for ways to optimise workplace culture in your business, here are a few ideas: 

Design a recognise and reward program for employees

Employees thrive on recognition. As an employer, especially for small businesses, employee recognition can fall by the wayside. However, it’s a missed opportunity. When employees are recognised for their hard work, milestones, and general success, they will feel valued. When employees are valued, their productivity and loyalty to the company increase. Additionally, when employees feel more valued in the business, they will feel secure and optimistic.

Implementing a Reward and Recognise Program can mean offering verbal and written recognition. This can involve financial incentives, facilitating peer-to-peer recognition habits or providing additional growth opportunities. Whatever avenue your business can facilitate, recognition of employees sets the foundation for a positive work environment. It encourages productivity and lowers staff turnover – it’s a win-win. 

Encourage employees to speak out

Like recognition, employees also need to feel like they can voice questions or concerns and know they’ll be listened to. Transparency within a business allows an open platform for communication and builds trust within a team. Having a transparent team might encourage team members to share their successes and challenges or improve communication tools to share information. This will build a bond between employees and promote stronger relationships within the team. It will take time for employees to transition to a transparent mindset. However, this needs to start with the employer and management team. Again, a business’s success is built on the security of its employees. 

Promote Flexibility 

Providing employees with the opportunity to implement flexible working hours improves job satisfaction and decreases employee turnover. Flexibility changes everything from an employee’s perspective. Having a work-from-home option or even time -in-lieu can eliminate many complications that would typically arise. School drop off/pick up schedules, morning traffic, or anything else that might pop up from full-time workers. When employers give back to employees, employees, in turn, respond with positivity. It can seem like something small, but employees will feel appreciated and valued by implementing flexible working strategies. Modern technology is advanced enough that flexible working schedules are easier to implement without employees needing to be in the office. 

If flexible working strategies are harder to implement within your business, try incorporating some time-in-lieu – this will make a massive difference within the workplace culture. 

Create an engaging environment 

We’ve said it before – communication is everything within a business. If there is communication, a team builds a sense of camaraderie, inducing a harmonious and cohesive workforce. 

Your employees were hired for a reason, and as an employer, it’s your job to harness those qualities. Employees respond well to meaningful work. Feeling like a valuable part of the team and sharing a sense of purpose can increase work engagement four-fold. If employees are motivated, they are more likely to learn faster and feel more satisfied within their role. 

Communication is a massive part of this process. It’s an employer’s responsibility to connect employees to a purpose within the business. This starts with communication between an employer and their employees. 

An engaging environment promotes purpose, positivity and enables employees to build supportive relationships within the workspace. This can lead to establishing a sense of personal and professional growth. 

If you’re looking for ideas to create an engaging environment, try starting a conversation with your employees. Find out what their strengths are and how they see themselves growing within your business. 

Providing feedback to employees

As an employer, it’s essential to give your employees feedback to promote personal and professional development.

Providing employees feedback – whether it’s positive or constructive – will induce worker confidence. When giving feedback to employees, try and schedule this as a regular, one-on-one meeting. One-on-ones enforce a sense of equal opportunity for each employee. It also allows the employer to sit and listen to any queries or concerns with their employees. At the same time, highlight their strengths and providing opportunities for improvement. 

Promoting employee success can be essential to boost morale. However, taking the time to speak with each member of your team individually is important. One-on-one’s can provide clarity, highlight any opportunities for improvement and address any issues. While it’s good to do this regularly (one month is a reasonable amount of time), it’s also crucial for employees to feel they’re in a safe space. Meetings in a private yet informal area can help your employees feel relaxed in a non-threatening environment. When your employee feels they’re on the same page as their employer and feel heard, it can boost confidence, motivation and productivity. 

A business is more than an asset for employers – it’s a pinnacle part of their lifestyle and livelihood. A successful business starts with a positive, cohesive and motivated team who believe in their company and the work they do. Having a strong workplace culture is the foundation of a thriving business and promotes productivity and employee longevity. Positive work culture is the starting point of a flourishing, successful business. Every employer needs to take into account a company’s future growth and development. As an employer, you may be thinking about the future of your business. If so, it’s vital to seek a professional Business Valuation company that can help you with your next business-related decision. Whether it’s business, residential or commercial, a full-service valuation company can provide comprehensive business and property valuations for all requirements and purposes.