
How to remain positive in a negative office environment?
To be confident in a Negative office environment. Ways and means to be concrete in a Negative office environment.
Today, we are running through a fast-paced business age. No matter the industry or profession, you will spend the majority of your weekdays hours at the office. A lot of people spend more time with their co-workers than with our families. And some days, the office feels more like our primary residence. It makes you feel distressed. So, how can we make it more tolerable?
The best remedy is making your work environment more positive. If Creativity, productivity and happiness go up, like a counterweight, stress levels sink. As a business owner or a leader, that’s the kind of workplace you strive to create. Since you are going to spend most of your workdays at work; you want it to be a place that inspires and nurtures your team and yourself!
Here are seven tips for building a work environment where your team can thrive:
How to build positivity in a Negative office environment?
- Begin with gratitude.
We believe that it is a privilege, not a right, to work together. Begin each of your weeks with a 15-minute all-hands team meeting where the first item on the list is team kudos. Give your employees a vehicle to express appreciation for one another in a public forum. It raises the morale of the whole group, and establishes a positive tone for the week and helps employees feel acknowledged and valued. Beginning with gratitude in any professional situation sets the intention of appreciation, which will permeate throughout the company.
- Create a safe atmosphere.
There is nothing damaging than toxicity in the workplace. It stifles new ideas and inhibits collaboration. Creating a safe work setting means eliminating negative personalities Respecting every idea, whether it is from an intern or a tenured senior employee. Lead your people with honesty, integrity and vulnerability to help them feel safe.
- Don’t put your dirty dishes in the sink.
This metaphor means, “Don’t leave a mess for anyone else to clean.” There is nothing more frustrating picking up a project from where someone left off. You will find that some files are missing, the work is a mess. Or someone saved a critical document to their desktop a few moments before boarding a flight for a vacation. Not leaving a mess is the functional definition, but the emotional interpretation is, “Respect other’s time.” If someone else has to duplicate your efforts or take time away from their day to day responsibilities to hunt for a missing document, you don’t care about their time. Time is our most valuable currency. When we are not respectful of our colleagues’ time, we are contributing to a negative workplace environment.
- There are only opportunities in business, no problems.
When our emotions are high and stress levels skyrocket, even the smallest workspace issues can seem like towering boulders. Tell your team that what they are experiencing is not a problem. It is an opportunity to reflect, analyse and evaluate for the next time. And there is always the next time; we’ll do better. Also, try to find irony or humour in every situation. Make your team members smile by bringing perspective to the situation. It can lighten a very emotionally charged room.
- Consistency is the key.
There are several new trends in company culture. It includes flex hours, team building, open workspaces, unlimited paid time off, bringing pets to work and the list goes on. It is easy to be tempted by what may seem like valuable workspace perks or try to replicate what competitors are offering to employees. However, the same approach won’t work for every company. You should consider consistency as a key, rather than getting distracted by the latest craze for professional culture. Although change can be healthy, meddling a good thing can be detrimental. It affects the cultural balance of your organization.
- Encourage positive thinking.
Life is short. Why waste time on negative behaviours that don’t align with your business’ moral compass? Encourage your team to think all the time positively. Sometimes things seem to be spinning out of control. We didn’t achieve the anticipated result. But positive thinking will eventually cultivate positive outcomes. Set weekly, monthly, and yearly positive plans as a group. It will help to align your team and ensure that everyone is facing the same North Star.
- Don’t sacrifice the important for the urgent.
It is easy to punt team one-on-ones for an urgent meeting or client call. But that connection with your teammates is crucial to maintain positive office culture. As a leader, you are the cheerleader of the firm and the glue that binds your organization together. Without a regular connection to your people, the mission, vision and energy of the business can quickly dilute. It can also degrade your cultural fibre. It’s okay to reschedule. Just don’t let essential conversations get replaced by abrupt demands and deadlines.
Dependability, structure, clarity and meaningful work all are ingredients. When this ingredient gets combined, it can culminate in a solid foundation for a positive workplace. Add your own awesome sauce and voila, and then you have the magic recipe!!