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By: Janice Bandick
Published On: February 23, 2016The average person will spend over 90,000 hours of their life at work. If you’re part of the 13% of Canadians who dislike their jobs, this statistic likely fills you with dread. Aside from the responsibilities that come with a job, one of the most important factors that influences employee motivation and happiness (which in turn affects productivity and efficiency) is their working environment.
Think about it: if your work environment is a positive one, you feel you’re a good fit for the organization’s culture, you have good relationships with your coworkers and supervisors, and you feel comfortable at work, you’re much more likely to view work as a positive experience, and to feel satisfied with your professional position.
A positive work environment has become a necessity in order for businesses be able to attract the best talent, and to retain that talent, lower absenteeism, boost employee morale and increase productivity. But how can companies go about creating a positive environment for their employees?
While the specifics of a positive environment can vary by industry, organization and individual employees, the majority of great workplaces share several traits. First, these organizations pay attention to personal and professional safety. Employees who feel unsafe are obviously going to have a negative view of their workplace, so be sure your organization is adhering to all labour laws, regulations and codes.
When asked to define a positive work environment Ashton College’s Human Resources Coordinator Tamara Reid focused on employees’ emotional well being. “Do employees enjoy their job? Are they doing something they’re passionate about? Are they motivated to excel in their field? Does the organization emphasize work-life balance? These are the questions I try to address as an HR professional.” While every employee has their own point of view on their workplace’s culture, Tamara noted that if you know what you’re looking for, negative workplace vibes can be fairly easy to spot.
“Is employee turnover unusually high? Is there a specific team that has difficulty retaining members? Are there specific employees who exhibit high levels of absenteeism? These are all red flags that your organization is a negative work environment.”
A positive work environment is not only important for your employees' physical, mental and emotional health, but is also important for the product or service your company produces. The better employees feel at work, the more likely it is that they will take pride in their work functions and be loyal toward their place of employment. A positive work environment can lead to lower employee turnover, reduced training costs, and a better bottom line for your business.
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do you offer any program or course in coaching how to creat a positive work environment?
Hi Mohamad,
We do not offer a specific course on creating a positive work environment.
However, this topic can be discussed during our Diploma in Human Resources Management program classes.
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