Did you know the average person spends around 1896 hours in a year in their workplace?

That is a huge amount of time to spend in one place and way too long to be stuck in a negative environment.

As a business owner, your staff are your biggest asset and it is important that their workplace is as positive as possible. Sometimes this is easier said than done and creating a positive culture in the work place is not a simple thing to do.

Here are some tips for creating a positive work environment in your business.

Encourage employee contribution

People love to feel like they are contributing to a bigger picture. Employees feel valued when they are allowed input into decisions and encouraged to share ideas. When the positive impact of the contribution is seen in the workplace, it encourages staff members to take more ownership and responsibility. Workers will also feel more motivated, happy and satisfied in their job when they see that they have met a goal they have set as a team.

Communicate your workplace culture

Business owners must communicate openly and positively with their team to build trust. Team members should know the values and goals of the business and how their role relates to these. They should know your expectations of them. The best way to create a culture is to be the culture, so ultimately; the way you act will rub off on the people around you. Think about what you want people to do and how you want them to behave and act that way yourself.

Invest in developing your staff

Building your employees’ skill sets is not only going to help you grow your business, but it will also empower them and show them that you support their goals. It could be an on-the-job training course, an Internet course, or you could send them to a conference, speaker or workshop. Taking some time to understand your employees interests and aspirations will give you insight into how you can invest in their progress.

Show your team you appreciate them

Feedback is a great motivator. A good way to do this is through having performance reviews with your team on a regular basis. Telling someone when they have done a good job and thanking them for their efforts is important and very powerful in creating a positive environment. Explain why they have done a good job and the effect that this has on the business as a whole. Don’t underestimate the impact that a bit of encouragement has on people.

Have fun and celebrate achievements

Have a bit of fun from time to time. Celebrate a birthday, an award you’ve received or the launch of your new product. It can even be as simple as having a dress up day or a casual day every so often.  Here at the Cashflow Manager office we love to celebrate birthdays and always spend some time together socially on a Friday catching up and celebrating the week just gone.

You spend more time at work with your team than you do at home with your family. The emotional well being of those in your workplace is essential to maintaining a positive and productive place to spend your days.