Working in a toxic environment can drain your team’s energy and interfere with their ability to be productive. However, there are small things you can do to boost the atmosphere in your organization. Try some of these suggestions for creating a more positive company culture.
Communication is Essential
The first thing you should do is make sure the lines of communication are open by giving your employees the tools they need to share ideas effectively. This may involve adopting a particular instant messaging app that allows file sharing and video conferencing. By increasing accessibility to this type of technology, you can make sure there’s greater transparency in the organization. Sharing new achievements or asking for input in solving challenges can help bring everyone together.
Create a Team Environment
You’ll have to do more than just refer to your employees as a team. Creating a real team environment will require action on your part. By hosting regular meetings and asking employees for their input, you can demonstrate that you want to create an inclusive environment. When you use an employee’s idea, be sure to recognize them and offer a small reward. This will encourage greater participation and, more importantly, show your team that they’re valued members of the organization.
Give Routine Feedback
You should be doing more than providing an employee evaluation once each year. Throughout the year, give each employee regular feedback to let them know how they’re progressing. You can do this casually by stopping by their work stations and asking them how they’re doing. While you’re there, mention any issues you’ve noticed with their work performance. If they have done something exceptionally well, mention that too.
Challenge Your Team
Your employees should be consistently working towards a challenging goal. You can tie this goal to overall productivity to make it easier to measure. Once your team is consistently achieving that same goal, raise the bar a little. Each goal should be more challenging, but it should also be realistically attainable. When your team does reach a goal, offer them a reward to keep them motivated.
If you want to find more ways to improve your company culture, try talking to your managers and employees. They may have some ideas that you haven’t previously considered. Even if they can’t offer new ideas, opening the dialogue may be enough to bring positive change into the work environment.