How to improve the work environment: strategies and examples

How to improve the work environment: strategies and examples

One factor that significantly influences how employees feel about work is the work environment. The environment at work has to do with the participation of employees as well as the relationship between them and with supervisors, the organizational culture and the space for their personal development.

The participation of employees in the work environment of a company is not just an initiative of the human resources department that is carried out once a year. The design of the work environment in a company is a key strategic commitment that drives the performance and continuous improvement of employees throughout the year.

Learn all about this aspect and how to improve it in your company below.

Statistics on the work environment

The work environment is one of the intangible aspects that should matter most for companies, although it is often one of the most neglected. According to the Alares report , the points that workers value the most are the economic aspect and the facilities for conciliation. But to see this topic more clearly, we leave you the following data:

63% of those surveyed mention that the amount of money they receive for their work is essential.
For 55%, work-life balance services are crucial
40% of those surveyed consider that it is essential to have a good professional environment and to carry out activities that increase their desire to collaborate.
Furthermore, a Condeco report states that 64% of global business leaders believe that flexible working has a positive impact on productivity.

That is why it is common that remote work is currently the main choice for those who are looking for relaxed and positive work environments in familiar environments. In addition, you should know that managing the work environment of an organization requires will, effort, perseverance and resources. Undoubtedly, improving the work environment is a challenge that implies acting proactively to create and maintain the working conditions that the company needs to achieve the desired results.

Benefits of promoting the improvement of the work environment

A good work environment is not only desirable but necessary in order to create harmonious and efficient work teams. However, these are not the only reasons you should take into account to promote better work environments. These healthy environments also allow:

attract new talent

The new generations are looking for a complete work experience and not just a source of income; that is, that the time invested in an organization is of quality. For this, a good work environment is essential. Remember that more and more people are looking for their jobs to fit their lifestyles.

Raise work motivation

A positive work environment makes employees feel good about coming to work, and this provides the motivation to keep them productive and active throughout the day. Various studies have shown that healthier employees perform better at their jobs .

Increase productivity

Productivity statistics in general have shown that having high levels of wellness in the workplace means the difference between an organization that is thriving and one that is far from it. By keeping your employees comfortable, you encourage them to be more productive.

Facilitate teamwork

Work climates are determinants of the type of relationship established between the members of an organization. In highly competitive and toxic environments there may be little interest in collaborating with others. On the other hand, in warm and friendly environments it may be easier to work together.

Give a good business image

As we have reviewed, if you have an optimal workspace, it is very likely that you will begin to attract more talent in the labor market. This is because you give a good business image by putting the well-being of your company and its collaborators first.

1. Offers regular and ongoing discussions about performance expectations

Goals and progress should be made known to members of all your teams. Many would think that it is better to avoid arguments with your team at all costs. However, studies affirm that they could be much better than they seem and that confrontations are not bad if they are carried out with the correct approach.

It is important to keep in mind that a work team is made up of diverse people with their own ideas, thoughts and opinions. Disagreeing all the time is not something that has to break the peaceful environment in which they work.

Therefore, discussions between teams are good, as long as there is respect and tolerance . In fact, healthy confrontations can lead to a good exchange of ideas that lead to innovation, solutions to current problems, or proving points that could be beneficial to daily operations.

Now, when it comes to talking about job performance, this topic could be somewhat controversial and one that many employees want to run away from for fear of what they might hear. But there are tactics that can help you have a much more enjoyable conversation and that will allow the employee to take it as feedback and not as a judgment in court.

At Ascendo they recommend the following points to successfully carry out a job performance evaluation:

Determine why you are doing a job performance review

These chats with your team members don't have to become just a measurement of skills or results. It is better to establish a discussion in which there is feedback, which makes it easier to make visible the areas of opportunity that each one of them has.

Instead of just pointing out the negative, become someone who proposes what they can do to be more successful in their activities, what are the skills that will help them, which ones do they need to develop more and what is the growth they can achieve in the future.

Set a periodicity

As we mentioned before, team members can be more motivated to do an exceptional job and be more participatory if the feedback is weekly instead of just once a year.

This is because all their achievements or mistakes are not forgotten and they have the opportunity to receive feedback on a more constant basis (which increases the chances that they will improve their activities).

Learn to have an effective discussion

Talking about the work performance of each one of your collaborators supposes moments of tension or in which as a leader you might not know how to deal with a situation correctly. For this, it is important that you receive regular training to help you improve your communication and eliminate prejudices.

Be fair and transparent

In an evaluation or discussion of this topic with your team, there should be no room for speculation, impressions or personal opinions. For this reason, it is advisable to carry out evaluations of competencies by behavior, in which other colleagues, clients and you as a leader are also involved, in order to have a more complete concept of each one's work.

Recognize the achievements of your collaborators

Employees often fear performance reviews because they think they will only hear about their mistakes. Just as poor performance requires a wake-up call, it is also an opportunity to help your collaborators and let them know how to improve.

When a member of your team has done things well, don't forget to recognize them with an incentive, promotion or a public message; this will continue to motivate you to do your job better.

Having your team members know what is expected of them on a regular basis will help them clarify their activities and skills, and better focus on what they are doing.

You can have these discussions one-on-one with each other, but you can also encourage brainstorming as a group, so they know there is a back-up and a supportive community when someone needs them to improve their performance.

Example: monthly evaluation reports

An excellent resource that you can take advantage of so that your employees do not forget what you expect of them is to create evaluation tables with your business leaders, in which they measure the performance of the worker and inform him if he has fulfilled what was expected or not.

This report can take the form of an evaluation report in which the qualitative and quantitative parameters you used to qualify are clear. You can even previously generate a rubric so that the employee knows what is expected of him and takes it as a challenge to fulfill his activities.

2. Make it clear that there is "zero tolerance" for any form of harassment or abuse

Take any allegation of harassment seriously and see that it is thoroughly investigated. It is essential that an effective prevention program be well established in your company and private work team; for example, codes of ethics, action protocols and support measures for victims of workplace harassment or abuse .

This is the simplest and clearest way to create trust among all collaborators, regarding the position that your company has in situations of this nature. In this way, employees will know that there are attitudes contrary to those established and that they violate the principles and values of the business philosophy.

Another way to avoid being harassed or abused by someone is by holding regular trainings and talks that all members of your team attend. This way they will not only be able to learn more about the subject, but they will also be able to see from another perspective the attitudes and activities that perhaps they had normalized before.

Example: dealing with a situation of violence by a leader

Until a few years ago, violent practices were normalized in work spaces. Fortunately, more and more people are raising their voices to denounce an act that has harmed them. If someone in your company has reported abuse by a department leader or an important figure, you should act in the same way as with any other worker, even if it means dismissing him.

A zero tolerance policy will communicate the importance you place on everyone's well-being and the consequences that such an act can have regardless of anyone's rank, position or professional skills. This is the strategy that CBS implemented just a few years ago against one of its biggest news anchors, Charlie Rose , who was accused of abuse by 27 women.

3. Reduce the worry of your employees by offering a safe work environment

Simple things like all electrical cords being covered to prevent employees from tripping over them is one of the things you need to watch out for so your employees don't have to worry.

Some of the basic prevention actions that your company must comply with are:

Emergency entrances and exits
Easy access
Adequate spaces in case of hiring people with a disability
Large workspaces to move easily
Floors adjusted to the functions that are carried out
Cables and electrical installations with 100% functionality and protected
Desks and chairs must meet ergonomic requirements to avoid posture problems
Appropriate electronic equipment to prevent visual disturbances or discomfort
Sufficient natural and artificial ventilation
Air conditioning or heating
Access to drinking water, bathrooms and sinks
Keeping offices and external areas clean and organized
Signaling and emergency plan

Example: Preparing Employees for an Earthquake

Emergencies can happen at any time and often arrive unexpectedly. This dangerous situation can cause anxiety among employees, so you should always be prepared for what may happen.

If your facilities are located in a seismic zone, you must have personnel trained in civil protection. These workers will know how to act in an emergency and will create trust between the work teams. You can also carry out drills in which you demonstrate that your company knows how to react to these eventualities.

4. Promotes wellness

Physiotherapist Michael Preibsch points out that some specific exercises in the office can provide relaxation and good feelings to the body. Some of the exercises he recommends include:

Sit up straight in your office chair, bring your head with your right hand toward your right shoulder, while simultaneously pulling your left hand and arm down. This movement serves to stretch and relax the neck muscles.
Sit up straight in the chair and lean forward slightly so your neck muscles can stretch.
Stand up and rest your forearms on the door frame at shoulder height. Then put one leg forward and move your upper body forward (as if walking through the door). All while keeping your head straight. Doing this position for a minute helps to stretch the front muscle of the chest.

In addition to physical exercise, it is important that you take care of the mental health of your team. Some of the factors that can harm your mental well-being include:

Excessive or insufficient workload
Very long work shifts
Little flexibility of schedules
Lack of professional development
Lack of communication, participation and autonomy
Wrong job design
Lack of clear goals
Insufficient or inadequate work equipment
Lack of respect between employees

To promote a good environment that takes care of the team mentality you can:

Raise awareness about mental health issues
Encourage discussions that address mental health issues
Facilitate employee mental health care
Try to modify the incidences and risk factors
Create emergency protocols

Some companies have implemented wellness programs in which physical, socio-cultural and mental health activities are carried out . And this prevention is not only in favor of the team, but also of the company, since the collaborators begin to have greater productivity by being more motivated and happy in their work area .

Example: implement yoga classes

Yoga is one of the preferred physical activities of more and more people because it not only promotes physical well-being, but also mental well-being. This is especially good during periods of handovers, evaluations or audits. Some gyms and yoga teachers offer attractive packages of group sessions that you can take advantage of to bring relaxation, peace and harmony to your employees.

You can promote the health and well-being of your employees by having a weekly yoga session and before the start of their workday or in the middle of the day. This not only encourages a healthy lifestyle among your team, but also provides an opportunity to get to know co-workers better.

5. Create a favorable environment

Remember that a supportive work culture is the foundation of a positive work environment. Some actions you can take to undertake positive attitudes are:

Don't keep the praise to yourself: everyone likes to hear good things about themselves and your employees also deserve (and want) to be recognized when they do things well.
Keep a positive attitude: we know that daily activities and work pressures can mean that not every day you have a smile on your face, but as a leader you must maintain a good attitude in any situation and be an example for others.
Listen to the members of your team: don't just approach them to resolve work-related questions. Take advantage of different occasions to find out how they feel, what they did on their weekend, how their family is. You'll find that this will help them trust you more and let them know that they can approach you in a friendly way and not just professionally.
Install a snack and coffee station: if it is within your means, do it. It is an excellent strategy for your team members to recharge energy, relax for a moment and also share ideas and thoughts.

Small changes are noticeable and make an incredible change in workspaces. Do not hesitate to ask your collaborators what would make them feel more comfortable and look for the most profitable ideas. Help them make them come true!

Example: comment box

Comment boxes are excellent resources to detect if something is wrong within the walls of your company and to deal with the problem immediately. These mailboxes facilitate anonymity, free expression and sincerity on the part of the workers.

Send emails saying that your doors are always open to them. Not only will you be showing that you care about the company's progress, but you'll also be letting them know that you care about their well-being.

6. Set a fair policy for all employees

The policies of a company must be applied regardless of the position or designation of a worker in the company. If a supervisor consistently misses deadlines, you should take it as seriously as you would a junior employee. If your policy changes, make sure everyone knows about it.

For a labor policy to be fair, it is essential that it meets these characteristics:

It must include criteria of equality, without arbitrariness and with solid foundations.
It must not contradict itself; therefore, it must be in accordance with the values and philosophy of the company.
It must be known to each and every one of the members of your team, in order to avoid confusion, misunderstandings or violations of the established principles or rules.
They must be linked solely to employment purposes. That is, designed so that employees meet their business productivity.

Example: Set remote work policies

Due to the changes that companies have had due to social distancing, some companies have decided to incorporate not only policies within the offices, but also policies for remote work.

If your team is still working from home, it might be a good idea to develop your own policy for this scheme; You will see that it will help you avoid conflicts or confusion.

To create a remote work policy, it might help to answer the following questions:

What do you expect from your employee?

The first step is to define the processes and indicate the schedules to be fulfilled remotely, who will be the person to whom they must report every day and how they can communicate. A vital aspect is to establish performance indicators (KPI) to control the productivity of your team members and know if it is improving, staying the same or decreasing.

What should your employee receive in return?

Remember that while your company saves some expenses such as rent or services, these fall directly on your employee by working all the time at home. Therefore, you can offer support to upgrade to more powerful internet connections or include a mobile plan for work calls.

In case this is not possible, consider an adjustment even minimal to the salaries, so that the employees can support their internal expenses. Do not forget that not all your collaborators may have the computer equipment or software necessary for their daily work, so it is essential that the company takes care of providing it.

The clearer and more defined your work policy is, the easier it will be for employees to abide by the rules and requests.

7. Implement team building activities

These activities help improve internal communication and productivity, increase workplace morale, and allow employees to get to know each other better. The following dynamics could be very useful to promote a positive and fun work environment:

Technique 5.5.5
This dynamic helps to develop creative ideas and consists of forming groups of five and writing down five ideas in five minutes.
The desert
Create a fictional scenario where your collaborators are alone in the desert and can choose three things to take. This helps to see the priorities of each one and to laugh a little with the crazy ideas of a few.
Affinities
Each employee writes his hobbies and likes on a sheet of paper without putting his name; they all come together, they are shared and it is about guessing who each personality belongs to.
Weekly or fortnightly meetings
There are companies that hold them every 15 days to discuss the most important points of the moment, to carry out activities or simply to catch up on each other's lives. If you decide to do this, don't forget to bring some snacks or drinks so you can enjoy yourself twice as much.

These and more activities are great to do in the office and help employees get to know each other better. They also allow moments of relaxation in which they do not have to think about work.

Example: birthday celebrations

Celebrating birthdays is not only fun, but it is an activity that lifts everyone's spirits. Whether because they will have a space to rest or because they will be able to live together, workers will always appreciate these celebrations.

Remember that all employees should be celebrated, even if their birthday does not occur on a business day. Make that day more special for them and put them at the center of your activities. You can give her a gift or buy cake for everyone. The rest of the workers will feel motivated while waiting for their own celebration.

8. Encourage your employees to take 5-minute breaks.

Regular breaks will help relieve muscle fatigue, eyestrain and restore concentration level. There are even articles that claim that “micro breaks” can have a very powerful effect on people, even helping to avoid typical injuries from being at a desk, table or cubicle all day.

Ways to achieve this break can be as basic as leaning back to talk to the person next to you or briefly checking new social media posts. There are applications that you can permanently install on your employees' desktops , reminding them to take a break every so often.

Example: Mindfulness with Apple

Wearables are today's technologies and more and more employees are using them as part of their everyday support tools. For example, the use of smart watches has become a trend due to its great help in managing activities.

If everyone on your team has these technologies on hand, you can ask them to turn on Apple's Mindfulness app (or something similar) during high-stress days at the office.

This tool will notify them from time to time that it is time to take a break. Workers will have to stop whatever they are doing, take a few minutes to breathe, and return to work with renewed energy. This is really useful when it comes to delivering results to a client and we need to pay full attention to what we do.

9. Make sure your workspace is clean and comfortable

Just as the work space where your team is must comply with hygiene and safety standards, it must also promote harmony, well-being and comfort. For example, this also includes the decoration and colors of the walls of an office. And it is that the senses must also be positively motivated to respond better to daily activities.

In the case of small offices, it is best to choose colors that provide a feeling of spaciousness. Among the most recommended colors are white, gray, blue, green, yellow and red.

An office with these characteristics can have positive effects on interactions between colleagues. Even if your office doesn't get enough sunlight.

Example: small office in the city center

With the rapid growth of cities it is becoming more and more difficult to get a large office. If your office is small or poorly lit, try to make an effort to provide a relaxing atmosphere with comfortable furniture and proper work equipment. If necessary, you can add some lights to make the space brighter.

Take advantage of rooftops, balconies and common spaces to give your employees places to relax or to take a break in the middle of work. If possible you can also get some plants to bring joy and color.

10. Improves access to health services

Providing information that helps develop the knowledge and skills of your workers is not the only thing you should do, but rather encourage health and offer good safety plans to your employees. Some programs that can support you in this mission are:

Life and health insurances
dental services
psychologists and nutritionists

Similarly, don't forget to encourage your employees to eat healthy and exercise regularly. Make sure everyone sticks to their meal times and has water available at all times to stay hydrated.

Example: major medical insurance

All workers seek to ensure their well-being and physical and mental integrity. You, in the role of employer, must give them the tools to help them in this assurance.

Insurance for major medical expenses are benefits that you can offer your employees so that they have one less worry. These insurances usually cover accidents, illnesses, treatment and even medical tests. In addition, there are some others that offer primary medical care and that can keep your employees in the best condition.

In times of the health emergency, this has become especially important. Companies that offered health services to their employees were able to protect them during the pandemic.

11. Encourage policies that promote a more adaptive or responsible environment

In addition to general company policies, you can create a manual or policy guide for the members of your team or work area. This guide should serve as a manual of good practices that responds to the varied interests of the members of your company.

In the same way, they can make their own regulations in which they include rules of coexistence such as respecting everyone's ideas, arriving on time, not eating within the work space and some more fun and relaxed ones, such as wearing casual clothes on Fridays or weekly. a member of the team must develop an activity for everyone.

Example: smoke-free space

There is nothing more unpleasant for a non-smoker to have to put up with other people's cigarette smoke. If there is a smoking habit in your work space, you can establish in the regulations the prohibition of cigarettes inside the offices.

This action will not only promote the well-being of non-smokers, but can also contribute to the health of those who have developed the habit. To do this, you can place indicative signs throughout the office and, if so convenient, allocate an exclusive area for your employees to smoke without affecting the other members of the team.

12. Incorporate natural elements

Nature is always a good companion when it comes to taking a break from the busy business world. This is because it can create a contrast effect and allow for temporary distancing of activities within the office.

Some studies suggest that having pets and plants inside work spaces can reduce stress and positively impact worker productivity .

In addition, this type of inclusion helps create a feeling of responsibility among the members of the company, since they must assume the commitment to care for a living being and to maintain it as the image of the brand.

Example: pet-friendly office

There are few things more fun than playing with a puppy. This is not only true for children in homes, but also for professionals in offices. According to Mental Health America , allowing your employees' pets to visit the workplace can encourage coexistence, reduce rates of depression and even improve the physical condition of workers.

To implement this strategy, you must organize the employees' agenda very well so that each one brings their companion on different days. You don't want to have a cat and a dog running under the desks. Companies like Google, for example, have great animal inclusion programs. In the company they even call the dogs of the collaborators Dooglers.

13. Monitor the needs of your staff through the human resources department

This strategy must be a previous step for all the actions that you can implement. It is a tactic that you should pay special attention to, since different work groups and different employees may have different preferences and needs.

The human resources department is the best qualified to help you detect these trends and find the optimal strategy to improve the work environment. Remember that most of these professionals are psychologists qualified to analyze behavior within workspaces, so their experience can be very useful to optimize them.

Example: satisfaction surveys

Knowing the opinion of the workers is essential to know what they want and how to get it. If you have no idea about this, an excellent tool is job satisfaction surveys. These surveys, simple as they may seem, can help you make decisions, resolve conflicts and even learn more about your employees.

Send a short email asking for the honest opinion of your collaborators , in which you include a small form with the questions you want to answer. The human resources department will help you interpret the results.

14. Implement playful dynamics in the routine.

While work spaces and work activities are things to be taken very seriously, workers cannot keep their composure all the time. This would not only lead to depressing work environments, but also low productivity and even tedium and boredom in the office.

To resolve this limitation, there is no better strategy than implementing recreational and leisure activities that lighten the workload. These activities must not be related to the activities performed and may extend beyond the 5-minute break that we previously recommended.

By allowing workers to have fun within the workspace, you can encourage a feeling of belonging and invite them to feel really comfortable.

Example: karaoke evenings

Karaoke seems to be an activity reserved for bars and restaurants. However, it has great benefits for working life. If you have noticed that coexistence is lacking, that your offices are very boring or that there is no trust between your employees, this activity can help you solve them.

According to Singa , offering a quick sing-along session during breaks or hosting exclusive parties for this outside of working hours can encourage a feeling of inclusivity and make workers feel part of a collective.

You already have the strategies. Now is the time to test the state of your company and the perception of your workers. Here are the questions you can ask yourself to choose the strategy that suits you best and to know what it takes to promote the best possible work environments.

How positive is the work environment in your company? Answer these 9 questions

An organization's culture and work environment have become a prominent factor in retaining key personnel and recruiting new talent. Here are 9 sample questions to determine how positive a company's work environment is.

What is the company's greatest strength?
Are relationships between all employees positive?
Do you think the workspace is being used to the maximum?
Are the leaders of each team in agreement and aligned with the objectives of the company?
Do leaders know how to manage internal relationships well, as well as the tasks of their work teams?
Do employees know what the goals are to achieve and what is expected of them?
Are there many casualties and staff turnover in the company?
Does the company offer compensation and recognition to employees for their achievements?
In addition to a fair salary, does the company offer you other facilities such as flexible hours, balance between your personal and professional life, and other relevant aspects?

With the strategies that we have shared with you and with these evaluation questions, you are ready to make your company the best place to work. Do not forget that each team is different, so you should always pay attention to the particularities of your workers.