Nurturing a Positive Culture in an Organisation

How can we define a positive culture in an organisation?

A positive workplace culture is a social construct which only exists as a result of human interaction, where attitude and environment can promote healthy wellbeing, collaboration, positive thinking, growth and general satisfaction. This positive workplace culture may cultivate productivity which in turn benefits the organisation. For example, in teams where managers demonstrate trust in their employees there tends to be more innovation.

What can impact a positive workplace culture?

The attitudes and beliefs of those in power have the biggest influence on workplace culture. These attitudes spread across organisations and can promote positive or negative cultures. If employees are left to feel unappreciated, micro-managed, untrusted or even belittled by their management, this will reflect in not only their own mental wellbeing but their productivity and motivation to work to the best of their ability. Morale will be affected and the positive work culture that many employees look for in their work will be lost.

Feeling appreciated or rewarded for good work encourages employees to enjoy the benefits of working well. Individuals also need to see progress – from a career driven perspective employees may want to progress within an organisation and enjoy opportunities to develop their roles both from a personal development perspective and renumeration perspective. If employees feel trapped in their role with a lack of progression this may impact employees’ engagement and desire to work well.

What can be done to maintain a positive workplace culture?

There are three main ways to maintain and improve a positive workplace culture and these consist of Communication and Collaboration, Kindness and Consideration, and Growth and Progression:

Communication and Collaboration

Providing transparent and clear communication enables employees to work to the best of their ability and achieve a sense of job satisfaction. This does not always necessarily have to be around work but also around colleague relationships – introducing and encouraging social events amongst staff creates a space for employees to develop and maintain relationships that can be transferred into the work environment, therefore making communication and collaboration easier and clearer. It can also enable staff to relax around each other, and better understand each other, therefore reducing stress levels when communicating with colleagues.

Kindness and Consideration

One of the most important and impactful ways to maintain a positive workplace culture is showing empathy, inclusivity, and support for each other. Understanding that every individual is different and their lives away from work can create emotional/physical challenges is important. Without this empathy and verstehen, employees can often feel forced to work in difficult circumstances and feel neglected and isolated from any support. Moreover, being inclusive to all promotes equality, diversity and inclusion and it allows employees to feel comfortable and safe at work. Showing support and guidance to employees whilst also being approachable will enable them to feel comfortable asking for help, which in turn will decrease the risk of errors and mistakes.

Growth and Progression

No matter what job you are in, it is never satisfactory to feel stuck with no opportunities for development or progression. This begins with the need to feel recognised. Recognising individuals’ abilities and skills, and the value they add in their work is the first step. The next step is providing the opportunities to develop further. Growth and progression can come in many forms, it doesn’t just mean upward mobility into positions that hold more responsibilities or increased pay rise. It can be achieved through providing training programs and courses for development from both a professional and personal perspective.

What are the advantages of a positive workplace culture?

The advantages of a workplace culture can take many forms which not only benefit the employee but the organisation itself. Many of the advantages interlink with one another, where one advantage is present, the other is also present and where one advantage isn’t present the other also cannot be. Staff wellbeing is highly important, and with a positive workplace culture in place this can be encouraged.

Feeling appreciated and valued in your job can result in a decrease of stress and anxiety alongside confidence levels rising regarding your work input/output. This sense of confidence can then transfer to the productivity across the organisation. Having a positive workplace culture ensures staff are motivated and passionate about the work they put in. This can result in colleagues having shared goals, which in turn improves colleague relationships.

Similarly, collaboration is a great advantage for both staff and the organisation. Cultivating a positive workplace culture ensures there is an environment where individuals feel safe and secure and able to ask for help or feel comfortable to discuss work-related issues and mistakes. Teamwork tends to be a strength when an organisation houses a positive workplace culture.

When employees enjoy what they do, feel acknowledged and valued, feel motivated and passionate and show a willingness to engage it strengthens their intent to stay at an organisation. Nobody wants to stay in a job where they feel they are not treated fairly or see no pathway to progress.

An organisation that has a positive workplace culture will have good staff retention, high levels of job satisfaction and will have a good reputation both as an employer and with its customers. This positive reputation will have an impact on the bottom-line drawing in customers and being desirable to future employees.

We’re ready to help you create a positive workplace culture, get in touch with the friendly team at The Survey Initiative by emailing: info@surveyinitiative.co.uk