Who doesn’t love to feel happy when they go to work? Having a positive work environment is a big part of keeping your employees, yourself, and even your customers happy. What’s more, happy employees are generally more productive and give better customer service.

With that in mind, check out these four ways to make your work environment more positive:

“Many leaders don’t realize that the environment in which you work – the office, the work unit, the people and culture of your team, the incentives, and the attitude of your boss – all of these things directly impact your performance,”
-Jerry Porras, “Lane Professor” Emeritus of Organizational Behavior and Change at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business.

Communication: This is the key to creating a positive work environment. Clear and positive communication seems like an easy thing to implement, but it can sometimes be one of the hardest. You have to create a balance of positive communication even if you are talking about a negative subject.
Think about it: you’ve likely spoken to someone who tries and get a point across by using negative language or tone. Was that person successful in communicating? Probably not. You were likely deterred from the message because of the way the language made you feel. Likewise, if you use a positive tone and clear message, your point will come across much better.

Show by Example: If your employees see that you are understanding and willing to help out when needed, they will take your example and be more likely to help customers and their fellow employees out. In addition, if you show someone how to do a certain task, instead of just explaining it, you will also get a better reaction from your employees. Put in as much effort with your employees as you expect out of them with customers.

Celebrate Accomplishments: First, acknowledge accomplishments by saying, “Thank you!” It’s simple but it sure goes a long way. You should also show appreciation by CELEBRATING those accomplishments! Have fun! I know with me, I get a second wind when I am able to have fun and relax at work especially if I have been having a stressful week. It doesn’t have to be a big celebration, but if your employee makes a big sale, shows extraordinary effort, or has a birthday, make them feel appreciated. Give them a reason to never to want to leave!

Trust: Building trust between you and your employees is a really important key to a positive work environment. It’s not just your trust in them, it’s their trust in you! When you trust your employees enough to take responsibility for their job and solve problems themselves, it will give them a sense of satisfaction that they are needed and actually wanted on the team.
A good way to show you trust your employees is to delegate tasks that you usually do to limit your workload and let them take more responsibility for their work. On the other side your employees need to put their trust in you that you will keep your promises and are always truthful with them. It’s easy to lose trust unbelievably fast in the workplace so make wise decisions and be honest about as much as possible.

Use these four ways to create a positive work environment for your employees and you will impact their performance for the better!

What work-positive tips do you have to share?