*Creating a Positive Working Environment

Have you ever walked into a place of work and felt heaviness in the atmosphere. Like fear was the predominant emotion permeating the work place. People only did what they were told, never showed initiative, avoided problems, and finger pointed to others as the source of problems. Gossip was rampant and many people were bashing other people and the company. This kind of workplace atmosphere happens. Maybe your workplace is not quite this severe but I’m sure that there is room for improvement. Learn how!

Who is responsible? Why, every one is responsible for creating a great working environment. And everyone needs to know that, embrace the thought, and behave accordingly. However, the management team carries more responsibility because of their elevated position, qualifications, competencies, and greater accountability for results. They are the success coaches working to help everyone overcome all negative impediments to effective and efficient production of services and goods.

What can the management team do to create a positive working environment? The management team is made up of all executives, managers, and supervisors. Here are some techniques and tools they can all use:

Adhere to and model high professional standards for yourself. Expect and communicate the same with and from all who work for you. Care enough to help your people uphold and meet these high standards.

Learn about the psychology of negative gossip, finger pointing, and people bashing. You must effectively coach people in changing their attitudes (habit of thought).

Become a master at holding people accountable for the effects of their interactions and behaviors in the workplace. Your response either condones a negative atmosphere or it improves and grows it to a more positive state.

Understand the differences in people and provide objective feedback that is effective in improving performance and effectiveness. Provide four times more positive feedback than feedback for improvement.

Manage by walking around, know what is going on, and respond to negative talk and behaviors immediately to stop them. You are the guard that upholds company policy. I’ll bet company policy doesn’t condone creating or maintaining a negative working environment.

Put chronic violators into a performance improvement plan of training to meet the standards of positive interactions and behavior. If they don’t meet standards, let them go. One bad apple can spoil the whole barrel!

Be a life-long student of learning how to become an excellent supervisor, manager, and executive.

What can individual performers do to create a positive working environment?

Become acutely aware that your choice of thought, talk, and behavior creates the working environment that you work in. You are creating a working atmosphere that is positive or a “bear of a workplace” in which to work. What have you chosen? Be responsible for your choices. Make the changes necessary to create the best working environment possible.

No matter what your education or perceived status in work & life, aspire to learn about all the techniques and tools that the management team is charged to learn and use above. They will help you!

The benefits of creating and maintaining a positive working environment are huge. Greater productivity, happier people, employee stability, business advantage, higher profits, greater security, and better health. Do you want these benefits? Then get busy on making the changes you need to make to create a positive working environment.