Creating a healthy work environment for your team does not always have to be by the book but it can come in the most unusual ways you might have never imagined.
Photo credit: wayhomestudio
Healthy work environments do not just happen magically, they are created. Very often, we hear people say they want to be part of a healthy work environment and you wonder what exactly that entails.
A healthy work environment is characterized by a celebration of both individual and team efforts; a safe space for innovation and idea generation where different cultures are welcomed and personal values are considered. However, today we look at the ten unusual ways this can be brought into place:
Create ‘Casual Days’
Sounds weird? Not at all! Take off one day in a week to let your team breathe from the ties and tucked-in shirts. Friday is always the best day for this when the week is coming to an end. Many workplaces call this a dress-down day with the option to wear sneakers and jeans as a good incentive. Casual days are not meant for doing away with work, they are meant to make people feel more comfortable as they work.
Team lunches
Forget the routine lunches and surprise your team with a lovely meal. Truth be told, sharing a finger-licking meal always brings such great vibes and will create a safe environment for your team to open up about most issues; not to mention you'll increase employee engagement.
Play music
During my internship, I worked at a bank and the atmosphere was so different on Fridays. People worked happily and cheerfully throughout the day. The only difference between Friday and other weekdays was the music that played in the walkways and offices. As work carried on, you would see faces light up and people get excited. Such small things create a healthy environment for your team.
Friendly team challenges
All work without play makes Jack a dull teammate! It was easy to rhyme these proverbs during our pre-elementary schools yet here we are failing to act on them. You need to kill the monotony of doing work. Put in place friendly challenges that will help your team achieve both fun and productivity at the same time.
This may include splitting the team into small groups and competing against each other in different activities but it will do much more than that. Healthy competition reduces internal grudges among employees and gives you a chance to know your team’s weaknesses and strengths.
Celebrate the special days
Oh yes! I love celebrating my birthday at work. Who doesn’t? Create a family bond among your employees By going the extra mile and celebrating special days such as birthdays and anniversaries. Candles and cakes are not expensive, so it should not be that challenging to create a healthy working environment.
Bring the gym to the office
A little sweat, means more calories are burned! It will be no surprise if fitness enthusiasts jump directly at this opportunity. Blowing off some steam before or after work through team workouts could be the solution to make your working environment healthy. Between waves of laughter and workouts gone wrong, your employees will easily reduce their work stress and feel refreshed for the new day. In some companies, gym memberships are among the perks and trust me, it is rarely in vain.
Team-building exercises
One of the best months at my workplace is Team-building month. In the middle of the year when public holidays are scarce, our company puts aside an entire month for team building. During this time, each department takes three days off (Thursday, Friday, and Saturday) and goes out in a serene environment to learn more about their work, bond, and also create new goals as a team.
What has this changed in our workplace? It has increased productivity and efficiency levels since there is always something to achieve at the end of the day.
Work feels like a second home and I am more proud than ever to belong here. Therefore, go for it. A healthy working environment is only one decision away.
Suggestion Boxes
These are not meant to just hang around the office but for actual use. Encourage your employees to use them and take time and go through them. This is not the time to fire someone when they raise an issue, but to put solutions in place. The best way to utilize suggestion boxes is by allocating a special time for opening them by setting a meeting and going through them with your employees. This will help you gain more insight, solve the problems, and encourage follow-up and accountability.
End of year parties
With everyone well-dressed, who will remember the losses we encountered at the beginning of the month? Some employers think such events waste money and time but Arthur, the CEO of Gate Group thinks otherwise.
“The end of year Christmas party is like a seal to the year. We put behind all that did not work out and celebrate our achievements as we usher in a new year. My employees always come back in higher spirits at the beginning of the year which has helped our growth so much” He added.
Therefore if you want to create a healthy working environment, this may be unusual, but it does the job.
Celebrate your team's achievements
Ever entered a workplace and seen a photo hung by the notice board showing off the employee of the month and your face lights up even if you do not even know who the person is? Well, imagine the happiness it creates for the person up there. Do not be selfish with your company’s growth, share it with your employees through such simple acts. Creating such an environment inspires each individual to do better and that's how healthy working environments are created.
Go out your way and try the unusual, non-traditional styles of working that sometimes build creativity. To achieve a healthy working environment, you might have to think outside the box. The most important thing to remember is that healthy environments do not just appear, they are created.
Be that creator.
More like this: https://www.fuzu.com/forum/article/the-role-of-an-employer-in-facilitating-positive-mental-health
