When you begin your own startup and are in a position where you employ members of staff, one of the things that you want most is productivity. This is because the more productive your team are, the better results you’re going to get when it comes to meeting business objectives.
You, therefore, need to continuously think about ways that you can improve the environment in which they work to make it more conducive for producing their best work. After all, employee productivity is closely tied to employee happiness and satisfaction. If you’ve tried a few methods to no avail, perhaps consider the ones that are mentioned below. On that note, you’ll find out how you can improve the workplace environment in this article.
- Update Equipment
One of the first things that you can do to improve the workplace environment is to update the equipment your employees are using. It can be extremely frustrating when you’re trying to give work your best shot, and you have a desktop that’s barely keeping together or a printer that keeps getting jammed. Make sure you do a routine maintenance check so that everything is functioning as it should be.
You should also assess the performance of workplace technology to see how it’s affecting productivity and performance. What’s more, in the digital age, it’s in your business’s best interest to utilize the latest technology as much as you can. Instead of relying on outdated hardware, upgrade to the Cloud to keep vital data and employee work safe and secure. Rather than opting for expensive travel which takes your employees away from their desk for many days, use video conferencing to hold crucial meetings with clients.
- Keep the Space Safe
Safety in the workplace is another thing to consider when trying to improve the environment. Commit to making the space safe by being organized and ensuring you compartmentalize it the best you can. Not only could this help employees save time as they won’t be looking frantically for things during work hours, but it could also help prevent falls and accidents. However, it’s also advisable that you get business liability insurance at next-insurance.com so that you’re covered in case of any injuries in the workplace. Unfortunately, not every accident within the workplace is avoidable, but by having expert business insurance, you can make sure you don’t pay the price due to an employee getting hurt.
- Create Strong Workplace Culture
Often, there is more tension and pressure in the workplace than there needs to be. This could be because of stringent deadlines, riffs with colleagues, or because they’re afraid of their managers. Whatever the case, this isn’t always the best environment if you’re expecting highly productive and creative employees. That’s why you need to make it your duty to create a strong workplace culture with values that reflect inclusion, teamwork, and empathy. Here are a few ways to create a company culture that works.
- Establishing Values: If you want to create a strong company culture, as mentioned above, you need to establish strong values. These should not only dictate how employees treat customers but also how they treat one another. The right values should give your employees a sense of belonging and help them feel as though they matter.
- Practice What You Preach: It isn’t always easy to implement and enforce workplace values. This is where your role as a leader comes into play because leading by example can help. Ensure you’re transparent and are able to both emulate your values and coach and monitor your staff while they adopt the same values.
- Create a Safe Environment: When people feel safe, they’re more likely to loosen up and positively contribute to the workplace. With that being said, make the workplace safe by making sure everyone’s ideas are respected, there aren’t negative and toxic people in the workplace, and you lead with honesty and integrity. Also create a safe environment by having an open door policy, where employees can speak to your honestly about how they feel and their workloads before it becomes too stressful.
- Improve the Décor
Décor plays a huge part in how your employees feel in the workplace. Ensure you create a light, airy space, where everyone feels comfortable. You can do this by letting as much natural light into the area as possible, and by adding indoor plants into the space to promote better quality of air. Also, keep in mind the colors you use to decorate can have an effect on how people feel. Green, for example, can influence feelings of calmness, but it also have connotations of envy and greed.
- Focus on Their Core Needs
Meeting employees needs can prove to be another effective way to improve the workplace environment. When their needs are met, they’re more likely to be happy and come to work every day with the right attitude. Aside from this, when you meet their needs, you should see an improvement in engagement, retention, stress reduction and focus as well.