Encouraging a positive work environment influences your team members’ attitudes greatly. In fact, it can support change, better performance and many more advantages.
Yet, a positive work environment goes far beyond a few talks about implementing happy attitudes. It starts with leadership devising a plan to change the company culture.
The Importance of a Positive Work Environment
Fostering a positive work environment can yield numerous benefits for your marketing agency. When employees feel valued and respected, their satisfaction goes way up. As a result, higher employee morale leads to:
- Increased productivity
- More profitability
- Lower absenteeism
- Fewer workplace accidents
- Fewer errors or defects
Ways to Encourage a Positive Agency Environment
1. Show Empathy
Agency owners and managers greatly influence how they make their employees feel. Therefore, it’s an important skill to have in your professional life. When you’re empathetic towards your team members, you’ll discover how easy it is to communicate with others and resolve issues.
Empathy gives you the ability to understand others from their perspective. When you put yourself in their shoes, it helps to have more compassion for others.
Think about what it’d be like to experience their side of the situation. Then, consider how it would make you feel.
Empathy strengthens connections in the workplace. One way to show kindness is by examining your attitude and keeping an open mind. Once you see their perspective, you can acknowledge their feelings and show them respect by continuing to listen.
2. Promote Inclusion
Building a culture where everyone feels valued is highly important. Even though it’s great to have a team of diverse people, you need inclusion to promote a positive work environment.
Inclusion requires everyone to feel appreciated and respected and that everyone’s voices are heard. One of the best ways to achieve this is to have an open-door policy and listen to your team. Understanding their experiences allows you to focus on the issues and make changes as needed.
It’s also vitally important to celebrate their differences. For example, a meditation or prayer room enables Muslim employees to pray. Meanwhile, you can hold events that showcase everyone’s culture, like foods from different countries.
3. Hire the Right Team Members
A positive work environment begins when you hire the right candidates. For example, if you were to hire someone on your team, a collaborative person and team player are some of the qualities to look for in a potential new hire.
Those same qualities are what you need from your current team. Otherwise, toxic people are more likely to spread negative energy to others in the office. In turn, your entire agency could become a toxic work environment.
It takes only one person with a bad attitude to affect everybody else’s performance. If you feel one of your employees is spreading toxicity within the office, it may be time to have a talk or let them go.
4. Improve Lighting
Lighting plays a crucial role in your team’s performance and attitude. Various studies have shown that natural light sources can boost your mood, mental health, focus and productivity.
However, many offices don’t acquire enough natural light, which can greatly impact your agency’s output. If natural lighting isn’t possible in your work environment, consider incorporating warm tones to promote relaxation and blue tones to promote happiness and performance.
5. Provide Mental Health Support
According to Harvard Business Review, 76% of survey respondents say they’ve experienced a mental health challenge within the past year.
Many stressors can contribute to your team’s mental health — especially in marketing, where work feels like it never stops.
To encourage more happiness in the workplace, build a culture where your employees feel they can talk openly about their mental health issues.
Consider promoting a better work-life balance for your team. Talk about the importance of it and offer helpful resources and training to support their mental health.
Additionally, you could make more paid time off available and consider introducing a wellness program, including online therapy options, for ongoing support.
Poor mental health can negatively impact your agency, often leading to more sick leave and decreased productivity. Ensure you’re taking care of your team’s mental health wisely.
6. Praise Your Employees
As a marketing agency leader, your opinion matters to your team.
Employees need validation for their accomplishments. They want to be sure their hard work is paying off. Because after a while, work can become monotonous and also overwhelming.
In time, some of your employees may become frustrated with their projects and feel defeated or unmotivated. However, you or your managers can make a huge difference by complementing your team’s efforts.
Recognition goes a long way, and praising your employees will provide them with a sense of renewed energy.
Creating a Positive Work Environment
Encouraging a positive work environment should be essential to your business’s strategy. After all, a positive environment makes a significant difference in your team’s performance and produces many positive results for your agency.
Think of fostering a positive work culture as an investment for your team and your business. In turn, you’ll discover the wonders it does for your team’s performance.
Eleanor is the founder and managing editor of Designerly Magazine. She’s also a web design consultant with a focus on customer experience and user interface. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and dogs, Bear and Lucy. Connect with her about marketing, design and/or tea on LinkedIn!