Building a work environment your employees love

Similar to the findings of a recent blog from when we discussed spending 80% of our lives in a work environment, it's your responsibility as an employer to create an atmosphere that welcomes engagement and breeds creativity amongst your employees.  

With such a varied age range within offices across the industry, it's more than likely the same scenario in your workspace. This isn't a bad thing at all, it just means that some of your employee's motivations may be considerably different from their peers, much like the Baby Boomers and Generation-Y have different motivating factors. 

Therefore, the primary aim of this blog is to provide you with insight and tips that will aid you in being able to create a space that caters to all age ranges and builds a working environment that your employees love and won't want to leave. 

Encourage open communication  

It's no secret that the majority of us love to have a natter and good chin wag over a brew when at home, we are social animals after all. So you have to ask yourself "why can't we do that at work?".

When I'm in work my office door never closes, The Fun Experts know they are always welcome to pull up a chair and share a conversation over a cuppa. Whether its an idea related to work or a personal issue stemming from their home life, I'm always there to share in their ideas or be a friend who listens.

There is more to 1:1 interaction than just being a face for someone to speak to. It builds upon the employer-employee relationship by solidifying trust, transparency and support by simply using open communication. 

 Friendships create productivity 

As the saying goes, creativity breeds creativity, as well as many other things such as innovation. These aspects can stem directly from friendships that are born and nurtured within the workplace. When a positive member of staff is working alongside their other positive peers, it can only help further motivate both employees and boost their overall productivity. 

Consequently, your role as an employer is to create an environment that will only aid in strengthening friendships. Simple suggestions that we have tried and tested and found to have positive impacts on our performance is definitely some healthy in-office competition. 

In creating little scenarios such as light-hearted competitions, you're bringing out the comradery in your employees which can have a significant impact on their overall productivity. 

Lead by Example

The key to a positive work environment is the leadership that is at the helm of the organisation. A good example of a leader is someone who sets clear objectives, provides reachable objectives and provides purpose for their employees. However, the difference between a good leader and an amazing leader is simple, it's having a level of emotional intelligence that demonstrates understanding and openness. 

By using their emotional intelligence to lead and provide direction, amazing leaders create a culture that understands mistakes are learning opportunities and not instead there to finger point. It is this atmosphere that has its foundations built on trust rather than apprehension. 

Finally, it is through this creation of a trust culture that leaders are able to motivate, guide and encourage creativity across their workplace.