A positive something works better than anything that is just good enough. And when it comes to positive work culture, we are talking about how we treat our employees. To put it simply, it is all about prioritizing your employees and treating them as you would treat your best customers. This helps cultivate a healthy and positive culture at work, ultimately leading to some of the best work done. Let’s take a look into this, shall we?
Steve Jobs said, and I quote, “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” These words personally resonate with me, because I love what I do. In the last few years that I have been working in the industry of Business Incorporation, I have had the privilege of working with a team. As I interacted with my team, I learned a few things about work culture.
First of all, we learn work culture through interaction. I realized that the more I interacted with my team, the more we began to shape the culture. We had established the mission and the vision of the company going forward, but for me, the challenge was to be a leader, not a boss. I wanted my team to trust me as a leader, as I had their best interests at heart. And in no time, I began to see the changes around me. My team was loyal to me and our company, and they became committed to themselves in the process. Committed to developing their skills, trying to constantly improve, and ultimately, loving the work they do.
So, one might ask, how do we create this positive work culture? The answer is simple: Start with building a culture that respects everyone and treats everyone equally. This also means equal opportunities and responsibilities given to your team. The next biggest thing is communication. If your team finds it difficult to reach out to you as their leader, then it’s time to set things right. Interact with them, ask questions, and learn what their goals and their values are. Figure out if they coincide with your team’s goals and values. Last but not the least, praising people for their efforts. That contributes to healthy and positive work culture.
Now, coming to the six factors that contribute to positive work culture.
PURPOSE
I personally feel that without a purpose, we won’t be achieving much; and for me, the purpose of positive work culture is to inspire people and have a positive impact on their work-life.
OPPORTUNITY
The more opportunity there is for a person to grow up to their potential, the better the work culture becomes. This also helps with giving them responsibilities in their role and offering them the time period to develop in that role.
SUCCESS
An employee who has a purpose defined and has great opportunities that have a meaningful impact on their work and life, and is ultimately contributing to the good of the society, now that is what a successful employee looks like. And for that to happen, as a leader, you have to let them take on those challenges and make use of the opportunities.
APPRECIATION
Appreciation goes a long way. It is all about acknowledging someone’s effort. Again, it all comes down to how you treat your employees. Remember they come first, so they deserve to be treated as your best customers. This positive work culture will motivate them and retain talented and hard-working employees going forward.
WELL-BEING
In my last blog post, I wrote about The Eight Dimensions of Wellness. J. Stanford said that “Health is a state of body. Wellness is a state of being.” And keeping that in mind, it is important to respect an employee’s well-being by letting them prioritize their health, both physical and mental. Remember, a healthy employee is a happy employee, so even if it’s not about work, talk to them. Allow them the opportunity to have a work-life balance.
LEADERSHIP
Finally, what makes a leader? Someone who leads his employees, inspires them and earns their respect, gives the employees opportunities to grow, trusts them to do the right thing, and is someone who makes his people feel valued. That is a leader. In the long run, being a leader, you give others a chance to succeed while simultaneously caring about your company and caring about your people. You put your people first, your company first, and thus, it sets you apart from being a Boss, making you a real Leader.
So, as I wrap up this blog post, I would like to take a moment to stress the need of having a positive work culture, because that will become the backbone of the company. And we all need something to hold us in place.
