The environment that you work in plays a big part in not only how satisfied you are in your job, but also the speed of your output and the quality of your work.
If you’re happy with your workplace environment and culture, you’re likely to put more effort into your tasks and create far superior work than if you were working in an environment that you didn’t like or feel stressed in.
If you’re currently working in a less than ideal environment that you think is negatively impacting your health or output, then thankfully, there are things that you can do as an employee to hopefully improve these conditions. Here are a few things you can do to build a better work environment.
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Your bosses aren’t consciously going to want to create a negative work environment. If you’re having a tough time or think that things could be improved, it’s a good idea to voice your thoughts and feelings to management, as they may not be aware of any problems.
Many bosses thrive off feedback so if you haven’t thought about giving any, now may be a good time. You could be surprised at how quickly things turn around once you’ve voiced your issues.
Of course, it can be intimidating going to your higher-ups directly to complain about something. Instead, you can take anonymous surveys that allow you and the rest of your co-workers to discuss potential issues without your bosses knowing from whom these thoughts came from. You can create these surveys yourself, or you can ask your bosses to get in an external HR service who can conduct these surveys themselves and then deliver these results to your bosses.
An external HR team can also do a lot more than this and are a big component of making a working environment a nicer place to be. For instance, if you’re a business in the North of England, consider outsourcing with an HR consultant in Derby to provide all your HR needs.
Make changes to the physical environment
Certain office layouts are more constructive to a better workplace environment. If you want to improve things and make your office better, look at factors like the furniture and decorations to see if there are things that can be done to make it a better place to be.
For example, see if you’re able to add more natural light into the office, as this will create much more positivity. Plus, try an open-plan approach so that employees feel more collaborative. However, when doing this, consider how each of your co-workers works best. If someone is more effective in an isolated environment, perhaps turn a meeting room into a private working space for staff members who may benefit from that option. By making the office more versatile and by giving people different ways of working, you can improve the environment for everyone.
Also, do consider smaller things that can improve the quality of life for staff, such as good office equipment and even nicer decorations, like plants and posters filled with positive affirmations.
Build connections within the team
An office can feel harsh and a cold place to be in if everyone feels disconnected from their colleagues. You don’t have to be best friends with the people that you work with, but it will make a much better environment if you’re comfortable with everyone in your office.
You can build better connections by taking lunch together, scheduling conversation time into your day, or even working on some projects together.
A more extreme approach to building better relationships at work is to schedule a team building day. This can be a fun day where you engage in various activities, or it can be a more relaxing trip away together. Spending this time together can make everyone feel less like strangers and thus more friendly with each other, resulting in a better work environment.
Conclusion
Working in an office where the environment isn’t the best can suck. It can make it a lot harder to focus on your tasks, and it can impact the performance of everyone in the team. By improving the office environment, you’ll be able to make work more enjoyable and deliver better projects.
By implementing these few suggestions, you’ll have done a lot to make the workplace better for you. By constantly offering suggestions, tweaking the physical environment, and by building more genuine relationships, the environment that you work in is bound to improve.
