Investing in a positive culture benefits employees while boosting productivity and your company’s bottom line.

Many employees prioritise a happy and healthy work environment because of the massive time investment our work lives require. This is especially true of millennials and younger job seekers, who value a positive workplace culture almost as much as salary and employee benefits.

For employers, investing in a happy culture reaps additional benefits, including increased productivity and profitability. Companies with positive cultures experience cost reductions through less absenteeism and job turnover and fewer compensation claims. 

With increased efficiency and reduced costs, an organisation’s workplace happiness is an excellent long-term predictor of the business’s ability to grow and thrive. We’ll explore eight steps to help you change your workplace culture and share even more benefits of a positive workplace.

How to create a happy and productive work culture

Finding a happy and healthy workplace is increasingly important for job seekers. To ensure you’re attracting top talent, shore up your workplace with the following eight tips. 

1. Establishing mentorship creates a happy work culture. 

A culture of mentorship creates a supportive atmosphere that encourages professional growth and empowers employees to take on tasks confidently. Employees who have been meaningfully mentored, in turn, become excellent leaders willing to mentor more team members. 

Consider creating an open-door policy that encourages and welcomes employees to discuss new ideas and make suggestions. They’ll realise you won’t ignore or criticise them, and they’ll become more confident. You’ll also foster the atmosphere of mutual trust so vital to an organisation’s success. Leaders who become active mentors and participants in their employees’ self-expression, creativity, and self-betterment tend to be rewarded with loyalty and increased productivity.

2. Adopt wellness initiatives to improve your work culture.

In our digitally driven world, addressing the pitfalls of office work – long stretches of sitting, typing, and gazing at screens – is essential. A workplace that passionately supports employees’ physical and mental well-being through flexible benefits and initiatives will be rewarded with a stronger and more loyal team. 

3. Promote communication and inclusion to improve workplace culture.

Communication and inclusion lay the groundwork for a positive work environment where everyone feels safe and equally valued. 

• Open communication fosters innovation and agility – two key success elements leaders want to see in their teams. Communication also fosters mutual trust and respect. Nurturing employees’ individuality in an environment where they can express their true selves promotes career confidence and encourages them to contribute new ideas. 
• Additionally, diverse and inclusive companies support all employees regardless of race, color, religion, sex, gender, national origin, etc., helping everyone feel respected and safe.
• A diverse and inclusive environment helps create a happier workplace by boosting employee morale, engagement, performance, innovation, and retention, which improves the team’s ability to pivot and adapt when necessary. As a bonus, prioritising inclusion can improve your company’s reputation.

4. Flexibility can contribute to a happy workplace culture.

Flexibility gives employees freedom, allowing them to create a positive work-life balance and grow their careers. In a changing workplace landscape, job flexibility and flexibility with hours and remote and hybrid work situations can significantly contribute to employee happiness. 

5. Invest in fun to create a happier workplace.

Injecting fun into the workplace pays dividends for everyone. An organisation’s investment in joy can be as simple as encouraging employees to take five-minute breaks from their desks (which reduces muscle fatigue and eyestrain and improves focus).

Workplace teamwork is crucial, and team-building activities that fortify relationships among colleagues can also be a source of renewal and satisfaction. Allow employees to suggest fun activities, giving them a sense of ownership in the company’s quest for happiness.

6. Reward employees generously to improve workplace happiness.

Everyone wants to feel their contributions are valued. To help employees feel valued, company leaders should celebrate team members’ accomplishments through rewards, incentives, promotions, and employee bonuses.

Another way to reward employees is to provide opportunities for self-improvement and lifelong learning. Initiatives and benefits that support employees’ continued education and training are the ultimate expressions of how deeply an organisation appreciates and supports everyone’s continued growth.

Investments in a positive workplace culture improve productivity, reduce turnover, improve morale, and prevent employee burnout.

7. Be supportive to foster workplace happiness.

Perhaps the most meaningful way to ensure your employees’ long-term happiness and health is to prepare for the inevitable moments when they’re anything but happy and healthy. We all experience bumps in the road, and we all dread what could happen if an illness, loss, or other unfortunate circumstance renders us unable to fulfill our work duties.

A leader who shows concern and eases someone’s way – a sincere, trustworthy supporter rather than another source of pressure – can win an employee’s appreciation for life. Model empathy and compassion in the workplace, and encourage similar behaviors in your colleagues. It can also help to have an employee assistance program in place. 

8. Prioritise a positive workplace culture.

Creating a positive work culture is a continuous process that requires regular attention, thoughtful planning, and corrective actions. It might be the most crucial task company leaders can undertake. When employees experience true happiness and health at work, success tends to follow. Ensure that your company’s compensation, hiring, management, and policies align with your positive workplace culture goals.

A happy workplace is a valuable investment

Investing in company culture is a win-win. Happy employees are better workers and tend to stay with the company longer. The company, in turn, enjoys increases in revenue, productivity, and customer satisfaction. Creating a happy, productive workplace is an ongoing process that becomes part of a company’s culture and helps ensure its success. 

Start your new journey today!

If you would like to learn more about the culture at SilverBack or to learn about some of our open opportunities with our leading clients across Europe please contact [email protected].