Creating a positive work environment is essential for a small business to truly thrive. It's the fertile soil that allows creativity and productivity for growth, and inculcates resilience during tough times. Here are 6 key ingredients to cultivate a positive environment:
Prioritized Safety and Well-being
Ensuring the safety and well-being of your team is fundamental. Adherence to occupational safety standards demonstrates the desire to protect your work-family, and makes employees feel secure and valued.
Team Engagement
Employee engagement is a powerful motivator. Involve your team in creating innovative ways to solve issues and give them a voice in matters that affect their work. This will lead to greater productivity and a sense of ownership and loyalty.
Open Lines of Communication
Create an atmosphere where open and honest communication is encouraged without repercussion. Everyone wants to be heard. This will aid in resolving conflicts quickly, fostering trust, and building stronger team relationships.
Recognition and Reward
Everyone wants to be acknowledged for their hard work particularly when going above and beyond, which is usually the case in small businesses. Simple Acts of Recognition can have a profound impact on an employee's sense of worth and belonging.
Work-Life Balance
Encourage employees to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Yes, this is easier said than done. However, this could involve insisting vacations are taken, flexible working hours, remote work options, or ensuring that overtime is the exception, not the rule, with lieu days being granted for compensation. Not forgetting the enjoyment element, arrange times for the team to socialise and have fun outside of work.
Development Opportunities
This cannot be stated enough. Opportunities for professional growth must be built into any HR program. This could be through online training sessions, workshops, conferences, professional certifications, cross-training and mentorship. A clear pathway for career advancement within the company guarantees qualified in-house talent as the business grows.
By building people up, you can create a unified culture that embodies the company’s values and mission. A place where everyone tells their friends “This is a great place to work”. Let's nurture our workplaces to be spaces where everyone can thrive!
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Simple Acts of Recognition
Positive Feedback and praise
Thank You notes (both within a team and across the company)
Peer Recognition (both within a team and across the company)
Congratulations on hitting monthly/quarterly targets
Congratulations on a milestone work anniversary (e.g. every 5 years)
Social media acknowledgements
Public acknowledgments
Value-based awards – monthly, quarterly, annually
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