The Importance of a Positive Environment in the Workplace

Cultivating positivity in the workplace pays huge intangible dividends that boost the company’s bottom line. Employees who love their jobs, enjoy their coworkers and look forward to the workday are more likely to do whatever they can to help the company thrive. A positive workplace culture affirms the value, dignity and worth of each employee, which benefits the individual and the organization.

Power of Positivity

Mutually shared core values include respect, kindness, patience and acceptance of one another. When positivity is the norm, employees offer to help before being asked. They pull together as a team to generate ideas, set ambitious goals and strive for excellence. Change, innovation, creativity and diverse perspectives are supported and embraced. Risk taking is encouraged even if the outcome falls short of expectations. Conversely, negative environments drain energy, perpetuate fear and torpedo morale. Turnover is high and company loyalty is low.

Positive Workplace Characteristics

A positive workplace goes beyond providing regular breaks, a break room with vending machines, and an annual employee appreciation breakfast. Business News Daily suggests that employees are more likely to have a positive attitude about work if the company culture is flexible and respects work-life balance. Employees also need adequate support, training, resources and space to perform their job. Mood is also influenced by overall workplace conditions such as safety features, adequate lighting and comfortable temperatures throughout the building.

Many of the factors that affect job performance are intrinsic. After basic needs are met for a regular paycheck and a steady job, employees want to feel that they are doing meaningful work that matters to the company. Management style also affects how employees feel about coming to work. Being micromanaged, berated and belittled creates resistance, resentment and passive-aggressive behavior. By contrast, a supportive manager who invites employee input, offers constructive feedback and consistently acknowledges employee contributions evokes trust and positivity.

Higher Productivity

According to  Harvard Business Review , cutthroat, competitive corporate cultures stymie productivity, whereas, supportive work environments create conditions for business growth. Workers who take pride in what they do and where they work want to see the company flourish. They ask what more they can do to help the company move forward. Highly motivated employees are goal oriented and laser focused on measurable results. They welcome high standards and push themselves to reach key performance indicators on schedule.

Productivity is also higher in work settings where managers see their subordinates as individuals, not workhorses who should eat lunch at their desks and work overtime. Pushing workers to do more and more can backfire. According to a survey conducted by Built In, 94 percent of employees with positive feelings toward their supervisor reported feeling passionate about performing their job duties, while 77 percent of employees who didn’t like their supervisor wanted to quit.

Enhanced Creativity and Innovation

The importance of workplace environment is also connected to creativity and economic survival. Successful organizations are agile, able to adapt to changing consumer preferences and innovative in launching new product lines. Employees in a positive workplace are energized and imaginative. They like to brainstorm, experiment, try new approaches and disrupt the status quo.

Negative work environments stifle creativity and originality. Employees are afraid of proposing ideas that may not work, thus the company suffers from lack of imagination and reluctance to change or innovate.

Greater Happiness and Joy

Emotionally invested and engaged employees do more than the minimum to get by; they continually look for ways to add value. They feel good about themselves and want to contribute fully to advance the mission and goals of the organization.

Happy and joyful employees have a positive attitude and an optimistic outlook. Problems are viewed as interesting puzzles to solve. Humor and levity make the day go by quickly and nobody loses sleep on Sunday night dreading Monday morning. Companies that value fun, levity and group bonding organize employee social gatherings during the workday and after hours. A retreat might be held to encourage friendships, collaboration, team building and goal setting.

Better Communication

Positive working environments facilitate open and honest communication at all levels of the organization. Clear lines of communication clarify job expectations and roles. Indeed Career Guide indicates that healthy office cultures invite dialogue. Employees feel it’s safe to ask questions and share candid information about how work is progressing. Managers know how to tactfully coach and mentor employees on their job performance to help them learn and grow with the company. Outputs improve along with quality of work when an employee receives helpful supervision.

When employees feel that management is open to ideas, they’re more apt to point out inefficiencies and offer possible solutions. Rumors and misinformation are less of a problem when management is transparent about organizational changes, such as restructuring or pending mergers. Conflicts are acknowledged, discussed and resolved before tension builds, and the situation escalates.

Health and Well-being

Positive relationships with supervisors and colleagues are critical to mental and physical health. Supportive connections are characterized by empathy, mutual regard, appreciation and understanding. Employees in a positive work environment suffer fewer work-related health problems and have better attendance records. They practice self-care and use their breaks to relax and reduce stress.

When employees don’t feel valued or respected in the workplace, they can suffer real physical and emotional symptoms. Resources to Recovery, or RtoR, explains that being in a negative environment can lead to feelings of anxiety, sadness, depression and apathy. High levels of stress, sweaty palms and a racing heart increases the odds of heart disease and other stress-related illnesses that can be fatal over time. Unhappy employees may self-medicate with alcohol to numb their feelings and cope with the hostility and negativity at work.

Diversity and Inclusion

Positive work environment benefits include enhanced retention and recruitment of a diverse talent pool. In today’s postindustrial global economy, companies cannot expand their reach without the health of a diverse workforce. A company with a reputation of being a good place to work has an easier time attracting and keeping diverse talented employees. Forbes describes a positive workplace as one that is committed to equal opportunity and access to jobs and promotions, and where management consistently enforces policies prohibiting harassment, discrimination and bullying to support a positive working environment for all.

Collaborative Teamwork

Teamwork is the backbone of organizational operations. The importance of work environment in an organization can be seen in how teams function. Members of a team with a positive attitude pull together in the same direction and have each other’s backs. Collective goals become more important than individual recognition. In a positive work environment, teams flourish because they enjoy their interactions and value cooperation over competition. By contrast, teams in a toxic work environment may suffer from inertia, poor communication, rivalry, backstabbing and pessimism.

Lower Rates of Burnout

Burnout occurs less often in supportive, nurturing work environments where individuals and relationships are considered important. Engaged employees with an upbeat outlook on life are more resilient and able to cope with disappointments, problems or setbacks. They have a built-in support system at work which is there for them if they need to talk, and coworkers are more willing to lend a hand when the work builds up.