A company is never the sum of all its employees working in parallel. It is, in reality, an ecosystem in which all members of the organization relate more directly or indirectly, making all the people who participate in it share something: a global vision of the entity in which they work, the which has been “built” from the constant contributions of its human capital.
This is, in short, the work environment: that set of emotions and feelings that generate a global image of the organization and that goes beyond the letter and “the official”. How does your company feel? The answer to this question has a lot to do with the way in which a group of people working in a coordinated manner can continue working viably and adapting to the challenges that arise in their sector of activity. Fortunately, There are strategies to ensure that this work environment is the best possible given the circumstances of an organization
What is the purpose of promoting a good work environment in an organization?
The work environment of the organization is the set of behavioral and communication dynamics that shape the expectations and emotions that predominate in the environment of any company
In this way, the work environment is what means that, without having to ask about it or talk specifically about that topic, everyone has a rough idea about what the organization requires of its members and what it can contribute to them. short, medium and long term. It is based on the work philosophy on which the organization operates but it goes beyond this and gives rise to the global image that everyone has of the place where they work, and the feelings and emotions that emerge from that image.
It can be said that the work environment has a great influence on the way in which the members of an organization’s staff interpret what happens in it; For example, the same event intended to generate well-being in workers can be seen as a reward in one company and, in another, be seen as a strategy to distract from bad news that could be approaching.
Thus, generating one or another type of work environment is closely related to the degree to which the organization’s employees feel good in their workplace, but not only that. Besides, greatly affects the ability of companies to retain talent and not depend on the constant rotation of workers, to detect and promote the learning and promotion of employees without always having to search outside certain specialized worker profiles, avoid work absenteeism and sick leave due to health problems, promote effective communication that allows quickly detect problems, etc.
Regardless of whether the management team and/or the Human Resources department applies strategies and policies to promote the well-being of workers, the work environment is an element that exists and influences the work and communication dynamics between the members of a company: Acting as if it were not there does not make it go away, it only gives rise to problems. Thus, given that the existence of a work environment is inherent to the activity of every organization, It is better to take measures so that this is good and promotes the well-being of the majority beyond offering a salary and other types of monetary incentives.
Effective strategies to improve the work environment of your company
These are the main strategic decisions that a company can adopt to promote a good work environment.
1. Provide access to therapy and psychological assistance services
The support of a team of psychology professionals It not only serves to help employees who have developed diagnosable disorders (such as dysthymia, agoraphobia or an addiction); In addition, it makes it possible to face and overcome other more subtle forms of discomfort, such as low self-esteem, emotional stagnation, existential crisis, work stress linked to excessive perfectionism, and more.
2. Facilitate learning in emotion management
Although psychotherapy is a context in which it is very easy to learn emotion management techniques in a personalized way, there are other initiatives that allow small groups to learn the basics of some of them, so that they can start using them quickly. and on your own in a matter of hours.
That’s why, offer emotion management courses and workshops It helps make it easier for people to address the difficulties they regularly encounter inside or outside their workplace.
3. Establish mediation and negotiation protocols
This makes it easier address in a fair and constructive manner possible conflicts that arise in the company, whether they have to do with work or not.
4. Establish adaptive communication channels
Many companies commit the mistake of establishing few formal communication channels or several but very rigid and difficult to access This often means that problems in the way of working are detected, but they are not communicated due to the immediate effort that would be required to have to break down those barriers, so that passivity reigns.
5. Establish a clear incentive system
Some companies believe that providing more incentives is always good , but this is only half true. For example, if at key moments unexpected prizes and rewards appear “out of nowhere” for a part of the staff, this can be seen as favored treatment, encouraging rivalries and reproaches to arise.
6. Apply policies to facilitate family conciliation
If we do not take into account that at certain moments in life some of the workers They will need to make their work schedule more flexible to meet family needs and responsibilities, this will make them see work as an obstacle.
- You may be interested: “6 steps to achieve balance between your work and your life”
7. Don’t neglect ergonomics
Experiencing physical discomfort in the workplace is an aspect that quickly deteriorates the work environment, since it suggests that the company does not respect the health and well-being of its workers and only wants its workforce. That’s why, It is worth not only having comfortable materials adapted to the proportions and characteristics of the people who work in those spaces ; In addition, you must have a global vision of ergonomics. For example, it is not enough to have chairs that do not cause pain, you also have to know how to light rooms so that your eyes do not hurt from the first minutes of activity, how to separate rest and work spaces, etc.
8. Clearly report collective goals and recognize progress
To encourage everyone to work in a coordinated manner, you must maintain a direct communication plan about the collective goals to be achieved and positively appreciate the objectives achieved. These types of experiences generate a sense of belonging and give meaning to the work done.
- Related article: “Types of motivation: the 8 motivational sources”
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The PYM Business team of professionals is made up of organizational psychologists, health psychologists, expert coaches in leadership and work environment, experts in mindfulness and also in team building.
With PYM Business you can access a care service adapted to each case through team intervention, individualized coaching, training sessions and workshops and talks.