Negativity in the workplace is a detriment to many businesses. An unsupportive, unhappy and downright depressing environment leads to major morale issues, and it can even put a damper on your employees’ productivity and innovation. Luckily, changing the psyche of your employees is not as tricky as it sounds.?
Practice Positive Psychology?
Employees are your business’s most important asset. Stress in the workplace is on the rise due to the tightening job market and still-recovering economic climate, and some business owners take advantage of these facts by relying on intimidation and the threat of uncertainty to encourage productivity. This bullying technique actually has the opposite effect ? employees who feel happy, satisfied and appreciated at work actually perform better than those who feel intimidated, threatened or disgruntled.?
To help your employees feel appreciated and satisfied, follow these ?positive psychology? tips that will create a happier, more productive workplace.?
Be Thankful?
All employees want to be praised and recognized. When you take the time to say ?thank you? in the office, you encourage others to be grateful and also to seek out the positive.?
Managers and supervisors can subtly introduce thankfulness by thanking an employee for their contributions through an email or starting a meeting by recognizing an employee making positive strides. Effective leaders do this every day. A positive tone will naturally follow, and your employees will feel more satisfied on the job.?
Reduce Stress with Exercise?
Companies that offer exercise as one of their perks tend to score higher in regard to employee satisfaction and life/work balance. To create a more positive workplace, offer discounted gym memberships or open your conference space or lobby to a wellness fair each quarter.?
Up the ante by taking a cue from the latest trend in companies where employees participate in meditation and low-impact yoga in their offices. Both activities, when done at work, boost mindfulness by nearly ten percent and decrease stress by the same amount.?
Encourage Creativity?
All businesses need a bit of innovation or creativity, and employees who are allowed to share their ideas create better products and services. They also report being happier overall. Embrace creativity at the office by giving employees time and space to flex their creative minds. Give them a half hour per week for creative brainstorming sessions. This sends the message that their ideas are valued.?
These small steps really add up to make a big impact in the work environment. Improving workplace dynamics improves the productivity, communication and innovation of your business, and the results can be seen in both your employees and your bottom line.?
