Is there such a thing as a positive work environment? I have served in companies where there is a positive environment. I have also worked in offices where there is negative environment, and I have worked in companies where the positive work environment becomes a negative work environment due to the fact that bosses bring in staff that did not fit into the culture.The answer maybe somewhere in between – there can be a positive working environment but may be fragile. Mainly because companies are made up of people and people interact differently in different contexts which sometimes lead to tension and misunderstanding.So how can you create a positive and motivating work environment? Here are some aspects that has worked.1. Cleanse Its Toxicity
Are toxic behavior tolerated in your work place? Are people who are rude, condescending, demanding and arrogant getting an informal endorsement from your actions? These are things to eliminate in the quest to build a positive work environment. Do you or your boss understand the implication of this tolerance of toxicity? What does it to the morale of the company, staff retention and productivity?2. Appreciate The Daily Smoothness
There is no need to wait for a crisis to happen and someone to overcome a challenge before there can be a show of appreciation. Daily good functioning of the company sometimes needs to be complimented too. In a world of fast paced work, work is demanding and ensuring the smoothness of work is an achievement in itself. Give compliments because things are smooth flowing to create a good and motivating work environment.3. Embrace Differences
There is no way to avoid differences in the workplace. But if we are respectful of the differences and know it is for the betterment of the company, it can be used to create a positive work environment. Embrace it because it is part of the natural function of the company. With proper understanding and skill such differences can be harnessed for better work environment. To deny it can be worse.4. Sharing And Giving
This technique of creating a positive work environment is both formal and informal. By formal, it can be knowledge management systems where work done are shared in a central system. This can also be monthly meetings where people share what worked and what can be better.Then there is the informal sharing where people buy food to share. In our culture, I am not sure if it works elsewhere, we share a lot of food. So, whenever someone returns from a meeting they usually bring food especially around tea time. The informal getting around the food creates a camaraderie that money can’t buy.5. Freely Give And Freely Receive
Create another sharing system where people learn to give advice to others by way of learning from previous experience. For example, start a file system where common errors and mistakes at work happen. This is especially beneficial for freshies as they read up the file and bear in mind common mistakes. It also sends a signal to them that people here have the freedom to fail and the freedom from fear. It makes them share freely at the risk of making themselves look bad but for the greater good of the company.6. Park Your Ego At The Door
To create a positive work environment, learn to recruit only like-minded people. Create one where people will park their ego at the door. Recruit people who do not need to be right all the time. Tell employees upfront and put in an informal system where egotistical people are kept in checked.7. Company Pride – Build Name For The Company
One way to build a positive work environment is to create a rallying point for the staff. The company vision or mission can be a good rallying point. Put in pride into the company name so people are proud to be associated with the company. Even small companies can do certain things extremely well. What are these things?Make people proud to work for the company and it immediately translates into positivism in the work place.