Whether your office atmosphere needs improvement at the moment, or you want to ensure that it stays at a happy level, there are a few things you can do. A good office atmosphere means that lots of work gets done and your staff feel much more productive. If the atmosphere is unhappy, your staff are going to slow down. They won’t feel great about working for you either! This comprehensive guide will help you to improve the atmosphere:
Take the Time to Hire the Right Staff
If you take the time to hire the right staff in the first place, you probably won’t have to worry about the office atmosphere very much at all. You shouldn’t cut any corners when looking for staff. You should take your time with the interview process and make sure you do all of the appropriate background checks. If you’re willing to spend a little more on your staff, you can get much better than when trying to save money. Saving money on staff might cost you money in the long run, so just remember that.
Let Go of Toxic Staff
If you have toxic staff in the office, the best thing you can do is let them go. You’ll be amazed at how much the atmosphere changes when you let go of these people. If employees are constantly coming to you with problems to do with this person, listen to them. Obviously, you’ll need to do it the proper way. A warning must first be issued, before going through the firing process. A negative staff member with a bad attitude affects everybody else, so the best thing you can do is let them go. The rest of your staff will be much happier!
Allow Proper Break Times
Make sure you’re allowing your staff proper break times. They shouldn’t be eating lunch in front of their computer to get things done. They should feel free to go out for lunch if they like. Allowing them a proper break time to recuperate is key to getting the most productivity from your staff. If they don’t take proper breaks, they’re not going to feel very happy about coming into work every day.
Provide Helpful Facilities and Equipment
To make sure your staff are as productive and happy as possible, provide them with helpful facilities and equipment. Facilities should include somewhere for them to make/heat their lunch, and somewhere to make drinks. They should also have the equipment they need to complete their job to the desired standard. You don’t need to splash out on the most expensive equipment, but the quality of it can make a big difference.
Go Out of Your Way to Help Staff
Go out of your way to help your staff if you can. If they come to you with a problem, make sure you’re empathetic and think of solutions to help them. Employee counselling services are available for many workplaces, so you can rest assured you employees have a professional to talk to.
Make Sure Everybody Knows What They Should Be Doing
For the office to be happy and productive, everybody needs to know what they should be doing. Have meetings as often as you feel necessary to make sure you’re all on the same page as one another.
Let Them Talk
If you treat your office like a prison, you can’t expect the atmosphere to be great. Allow staff to talk to one another. Letting your staff bond can mean they work better together as a team. This is one reason team building activities are so effective! Obviously they need to find the balance between working and talking. Just make sure you’re relaxed!
Invest in Your Staff
Investing in your staff will show them you value them and that you’re serious about their career with you. You can pay for courses that will help them to develop, for instance. They’ll appreciate that you put so much of your time and effort into them!
Allow Flexibility
The more flexible you can be with your staff, the better the atmosphere in the office will be. For example, how about allowing them to work from home 1 day a week? Or even making it possible for them to work from home if they really need to.
Give Bonuses for Hard Work
If you know your staff have worked really hard for you on a project, give them a bonus. You could do this in the form of a Christmas bonus, or some other gift. You could even just buy their lunch as a way to say thank you. Treats like this are always appreciated!
Keep it Clean
Keeping the office clean will help to keep morale high and employees focused. Hire a cleaner so that this job gets done to a high standard each week. Employees should also tidy up after themselves and keep their own areas tidy for the best result.
Have a Space to Relax
Sometimes, your employees may work so hard that they give themselves a headache. Maybe they are struggling to come up with a solution to a problem. Have a space for them to relax and collaborate. They should be able to eat their lunch here away from the stress, read a magazine, or socialize without worrying.
Allow Customization
Why not let your employees customize their office space? If they each have a booth or a desk, let them bring in things from home that motivate them and make them happy. In fact, make it compulsory for them to do! This will make them feel more at home and happier as they work!
Appreciate and Acknowledge
You don’t always have to give your employees a bonus for hard work. Simply appreciating and acknowledging them shows them that you care. There’s nothing worse than a hardworking employee who feels undervalued. Show them it all means the world to you!
Use these tips and you won’t be able to beat the atmosphere in your office. Everybody will love working for you and coming into work each day!
Infographic below provided by Cascade Building Services.
Be the first to comment