Your place of work is a big part of your life. You spend several hours a day working, and the monthly paycheques allow you to pay for your various and necessary expenses. For this reason, it is also important work in a place that you enjoy.
There are a lot of factors to consider when looking for this perfect workplace, and all entrepreneurs and business owners should take note as to exactly what needs to be done in order to establish this environment. For instance, communication is key to any job, and the way people talk to one another at work can impact productivity.
Moreover, the various values and ethics that the organization believes in must also be clearly outlined. It is important to ask for employee feedback, engage in fun company culture activities, choose the right office space design, encourage teamwork, maintain positivity and lastly let in enough natural light in.
All 8 of these tips above will be outlined in greater detail below.
1. Communication is key
Communication is at the forefront of any organization, regardless of the industry that it finds itself in. For tasks to be completed, people must talk to one another, and the communication between leaders and employees must be transparent and clear. If no one understands what their tasks are, how can anything get done? Thus, it is crucial for there to be good communication between everyone, and holding meetings, as well as encouraging questions, is key to this.
Improve communication by:
- Taking the time to listen
- Being mindful of others
- Giving your undivided attention
- Holding meetings to outline tasks, etc.
- Practicing your tone of voice
- Being clear in your direction and intentions
2. Values and ethics
The values and ethics that a company upholds is key if it hopes to achieve perfect workplace status. For example, you can read more about ACR Homes being named a top workplace, especially due to the fact that dignity and respect are core values within that company. Every single person wants to feel as if they are treated with respect, and showing this to employees will, in return, create a more natural and transparent relationship with the employer. Moreover, people will work better and harder when they are properly appreciated for the work that they do. When someone does something extraordinary, reward them in the appropriate way. It’s due to the employees that companies are able to achieve their various goals and success, and it’s important to showcase just how important they are through both action and words.
3. Ask for feedback
Furthermore, a perfect workplace asks employees for their feedback, and listens to it. This is yet another example of showing that the company cares about its employees, and in this case what they have to say, and how they think the organization can improve. A successful business is never a one-person show but is filled with various experts in their respective field. In order for the core of the company structure to be efficient, everyone must also be aligned on how work gets completed, and there is always the opportunity to improve if you allow for it.
4. Fun activities
In order to encourage bonding between people, and also provide opportunities to take breaks at work, companies should have various break rooms and fun additions added to the office space. Your company can, for instance, have the following:
- A pool table
- A foosball table
- Arcade games
- An outside area
- Monthly team activities, such as bowling or mini golf.
5. Choosing the right space
The layout of the company space can also play a big role in the overall company culture. For instance, the common design options that you hear about is the option of cubicles versus open space offices. The option that you choose will also depend on the type of business that you are running, as open space layouts will make it much easier for people to communicate with one another and for ideas to flow. That being said, cubicles can help people concentrate, especially depending on the task that they are working on.
An ideal workplace would have both options available, such that people can sit together when they choose to, as well as sit alone in order to concentrate on their respective work properly.
6. Encourage teamwork
It’s not only communication that is important, but for people to work together as a team. Some of the best projects and ideas are a result of putting various people’s brains together, and this couldn’t be truer in the workplace. When people are hired, it is important for leaders to take into consideration both the experience and fit of the individual within the larger team. Nothing could ruin work more than having a group of people together who do not get along. Of course, bonding between individuals, and even outings outside of work should be encouraged so that people can get to know one another better.
7. Positivity
Positive thinking can drastically change someone’s mood, and in this case work. It makes people more productive, and it is much easier to feel inspired and be creative when you are positive. That is why employers should also encourage this type of environment within the workplace. In this case, this can be obtained via the type of language that is used at work, especially in terms of how much people encourage one another. It’s not only up to the employees to do this, but the managers and leaders, as people look up to them.
8. Windows and light
Who can work in a space that is dark? For the sake of one’s mood, health and even productivity, a company needs to have enough windows and lighting. Remember the last time you were sitting at a desk and you decided to look out the window for a few minutes, doing this made you feel better and more inspired to continue working. Well-lit spaces, especially when it’s natural lighting, makes a big difference in the workplace.
Given the amount of time that people spend at work, and the fact that a successful business relies on its employees, prioritizing company culture is always important. Start by considering the 8 factors mentioned here, and you are on your way towards achieving that perfect and ideal workplace.
Throughout the year, our writers feature fresh, in-depth, and relevant information for our audience of 40,000+ healthcare leaders and professionals. As a healthcare business publication, we cover and cherish our relationship with the entire health care industry including administrators, nurses, physicians, physical therapists, pharmacists, and more. We cover a broad spectrum from hospitals to medical offices to outpatient services to eye surgery centers to university settings. We focus on rehabilitation, nursing homes, home care, hospice as well as men’s health, women’s heath, and pediatrics.
