Having a positive work environment is key to having engaged and happy employees. With recent shifts in how we work, thanks to COVID and all the disruptions it's caused, it's made people re-evaluate what's important to them in a workplace - and often it's not just money.
The increased social demand that COVID has placed on health and wellbeing means that more people are looking for more flexibility in their work days. Whether it's getting a test so they can travel in the weekend, or self-isolating due to a cough, workers are now needing more flexibility and support for wellbeing.
Another thing that lockdowns have taught the world over is the value of a strong team. After being away from face-to-face interaction from co-workers for weeks on end, many realised how important it was to have a team that you can trust when it counts. And a team you can still collaborate with through changing and difficult times. When you know who your colleagues are and can trust that they will support you or can have a bit of a laugh with you, there's a weight that's lifted from your shoulders.
Having a positive team environment means investing in people, but that doesn't have to weigh heavy on budgets. Here's our top tips for improving work culture in your workplace.
Rewards and recognition
Have somewhere that staff can nominate others for their good work. Have a regular time like weekly or monthly when you go through the nominations and select someone to be awarded with a coffee or food voucher.
Team catch-ups
Whether it's a BBQ during lunch or after work, or doing a daily quiz, make sure your team are able to get together and have fun away from the pressures of talking about work.
You'll be surprised how well this can build collaboration and make people feel more comfortable seeking support from their team.
Celebrate diversity with cultural days
People are most happy when they get to be themselves. You can have a workplace culture day and learn something new about a lot of different cultures! Auckland has a 'World of Cultures' festival in March of each year if you need any ideas. You could also send out a staff survey and see how staff would like to celebrate and share their culture.
Flexible working
In the construction industry it might not be as easy to offer complete flexibility in the hours that employees work, but when it comes to fitting in appointments during the day and other commitments that crop up in life, giving staff the flexibility and ease to be able to balance work and life can make a huge difference in staff wellbeing. If it's a team where staff have to be rostered and numbers carefully managed to get a job done, make sure your team have a clear understanding of how much notice they need to give - whether it's one or two days etc. Flexibility means understanding the needs of staff and working with them so that work and life can coexist - gone is the notion that they are separate.
Communication
Ok, you might be thinking that this is nothing new and that every workplace has communication. But the key is to build good communication in the workplace. When staff know exactly what is expected of them, when they are clearly valued, and they have a voice in the team and are heard, people no longer feel like just a cog in the wheel. Job satisfaction is greater, and people feel like they belong. Have a weekly team meeting where sharing is open and encouraged and allow time for everyone to have a say. Encourage your staff to come up with new ways of collaborating or improving processes. Feeling empowered to voice ideas and concerns builds a more comfortable workplace.
Training and development
Help your staff learn and grow, and check in if there's any courses or directions they'd like to learn in. It might be that you can actually buddy them with someone in the organisation for a few hours a week. Knowing that you can still learn and grow in a company is a crucial way for staff to feel invested in.
Lean into creativity and fun
This might seem broad, but that's the point. Every workplace and industry is slightly different, but don't be afraid to allow creativity and laughter in wherever you can. This works best when staff can throw out ideas and everything is evaluated with merit.
- No idea's a bad idea. For your next project or in your next team meeting, bring something that your team can contribute to. Ask for 20 or 30 ideas in 5 minutes. It might not be the first time you try it, but after a while, even the really joke ideas that seem ridiculous can lead your brain to sprout fantastic ideas.
- Make warm-ups fun. Dragging your feet during your warm-ups? Especially in winter, properly warming up is important with physical work. Why not do a dance session? A light game of rugby or tag? Maybe you could make your warm-ups a daily relay and the winners go into the draw to win a coffee voucher? Starting the day with a bit of a laugh isn't bad either.
At the end of the day, you know your company and you know your staff. It won't be 'one size fits all'. Some might not like getting vouchers and would prefer to just leave work half an hour early. Others might really appreciate positive feedback and compliments - seeing that their work is seen and appreciated. Get your team together and ask them how they would like to be rewarded and what they want from their workplace environment. Not all ideas will be possible, but you'll glean from that what people value most. It will help guide you in how you can improve the culture and make it fit to support your staff.
