A tensioned atmosphere can easily lead to unproductive results. If you think that workplace needs positivity and enhancement, you should start working on it. Unsatisfied employees will not have the sense of belonging without a proper environment, yet in the same time, they are the ones who create the product/services that you are selling. In a nutshell, unsatisfied employees equal less favorable results, and therefore, a decrease in your profits.

There are several ways in which you could create a positive atmosphere at your workplace. First, make sure you make friends with your employees. They must see you as their leader, and they must follow you naturally. If you try too much to command respect, you’ll be the fearful boss whom nobody actually likes. Fear has never been a qualitative foundation for meaningful relationships, so try to avoid coming off as arrogant.

Second, scan through the following list, and try implementing some of the new concepts. You might be surprised with the positive feedback you’ll receive!

1.    Motivate Your Employees & Give Them Opportunities

In order to motivate your employees, make sure:

• You give them enough credit for their work, and say, “Good job!” whenever it is the case.
• Show them that you trust them enough with your work – give them challenging work to do, and stop checking on them regularly; give them the opportunity to shine!
• Talk to them individually, and let them know what your expectations are; never make them feel underappreciated, especially in front of a bigger audience. Everyone deserves to be respected at their workplace.
• Let them lead important projects and give them credit for it. If something went wrong, do not burst into anger, calmly address the issues, and help them improve.

Giving your employees the opportunity to develop their skills is also important, so make sure you consider all of the following:

• Provide career development workshops for anyone interested in advancing, or taking on a future leadership position
• Provide mentoring programs – give them the chance to become mentors for interns, or other new employees applying for a job your company
• Provide online professional development programs – create a coursework that will help your employees develop new qualities or even better skill sets

2.    Be Clear in Your Demands

Clara Kent, Manager, shares her opinion. “You can’t expect people to know your demands without explaining them thoroughly first. As a business manager, make sure you are clear, concise, and to the point when you ask your employees to take action.”

Ask yourself the following questions before assigning the tasks:

• What are my final goals on this project?
• What do I want out of this?
• Why am I assigning this task to this specific employee? Is there anyone else in the firm that could be more productive?
• What skill set must people working on this project have?
• What is the project’s deadline? Am I assigning enough people? Will they finish on time?
• Am I clear in my commands?

Keep these questions in mind, and think about them well before assigning tasks. Smart thinking produces productive results.

3.    Provide Feedback

Your employees must receive both positive and negative feedback in order to improve their results. You could use the sandwich method whenever giving out advice: praise them, emphasize one negative aspect of their work, and then praise them again. The sandwich method will make them feel appreciated, but aware that their work could be improved.

When giving feedback:

• Concentrate on the facts, not on the feelings. They should not take it personal under any circumstances.
• Be calm, yet demanding and clear. Choose the right words at the right time.
• Be honest and straightforward. Your employees will appreciate a manager who gets straight to the point without being ashamed of it.
• Listen to them – even if you are the one offering feedback, listen to what they have to say afterwards. Give them a chance to talk.
• Focus on the solution, not on the problem. Saying “Let’s see what we can do about improving your work” instead of “Your work has to be improved because you are not giving out the best results” is a more efficient strategy.

4.    Keep Your Door Open at All Times

Let your employees know that you are there for them all the time. Whenever they have a problem, they must be able to come to you. On the other hand, you must be able to welcome them with open arms. A good relationship means great communication.

Give them the opportunity to expose their opinions, give out recommendations, and have a saying in the company’s major decisions. If they feel important, their results will improve quicker than you think.

5.    Train Them Properly

In order to improve your employees’ results and productivity, you must train them properly. Invest in brand-new training programs that:

• Improves their work quality
• Gives them the opportunity to network and thus, bring new clients to the firm
• Allows you to expand your market overseas
• Helps your grow your business strategically

Some popular training methods:

• Seminars
• Coaching
• Technology-based learning or e-learning
• Role Playing
• Simulations
• Job shadowing
• New management programs

6.    Offer Them Rewards

“Good job!” is not always enough. Make your employees feel appreciated by rewarding them. Here are some ideas:

• Take them out for lunch – reduce work-related talks, get to know them better, truly care about their opinions
• Volunteering opportunities – give them the chance to volunteer and learn something new
• Design a special “Rewards” meeting – take an hour of their time to appreciate their work and their involvement in the company; saying “thank you” can mean a lot.
• Time-off for great results – whenever one of your employees has achieved extraordinary results, give them that Friday off. Let them celebrate with their families.
• “Freelancing day” – if your employees seem exhausted, care for them, and provide a “work-from-home” day. Tell them to submit assignments by a certain hour, but let them work in their pyjamas!

Conclusion

There are so many opportunities to make your employees feel appreciated and cared for! You just have to find them. Creating a positive atmosphere at your workplace is crucial for your employees’ productivity and efficiency, so make sure you take care of that at the right time.