The average person spends up to a third of their life at work. This means that they probably see more of their co-workers than they do their own families. Most companies are often too preoccupied with putting on a happy face for their customers to ensure their employees are genuinely happy in their work and this can negatively affect productivity, work ethic, and social interactions between co-workers. So, wouldn’t it make sense to make the office a home away from home, full of people, who feel free to speak their mind and be more willing to contribute to the growth and innovation of the company?

You don’t have to reinvent the wheel in terms of your current office culture. If anything, a 180-degree switch-up would probably leave more people unsettled. Speak with your employees, find out what is working and look to enhance those aspects with some small changes. You’ll be amazed at the change you’ll see in your employees’ work ethic and productivity. Here are five things that promote a positive office culture.

Think of your employees’ health

Unsurprisingly, it is pretty difficult for an unhealthy employee to contribute to a positive workplace culture. Employee wellness – physical, mental, emotional – has had a big role to play in recent years, so much so that it is unimaginable for a company to not have even a first aid kit on the premises, if not some special rates with a medical aid as part of the employees’ benefits. While not at the cost of the organisation’s professionalism, a company should encourage a healthy amount of self-care. For example, supply your employees with information on how to deal with anxiety or tricks for getting a full night’s sleep. Some organisations even go so far as to allow for employees to take the odd five-minute break to stretch their legs or get in a quick workout.

Give your employees a purpose

Meaning and purpose do more to inspire commitment and innovation in a working environment than almost any other factor. Now, more than ever, a great deal of job satisfaction hinges upon a work culture that is built around core values that are attractive to employees and which are expressed in a clear and compelling mission statement. A clear idea of how an employee’s efforts can make a positive impact on the organisation and its clients is guaranteed to motivate them to go the extra mile. When goals are positively reinforced by recognising  employees’ achievements, they can have a noticeably positive impact on the attitudes of your colleagues.

Provide clear goals and incentives

Aside from the company’s overall mission statement and vision, a clear set of achievable goals for each team within the organisation can give individual employees a better idea of their priorities and where they can innovate and improve on already existing processes. These measurable performance indicators, along with a transparent policy on how to progress or be promoted within the organisation, will also ensure that all employees are treated equally and can benefit from healthy competition, which breeds new ideas and closer cooperation within the different teams or departments.

Encourage positive social connections

When it comes to forging healthy workplace connections, the right attitude is gratitude, so congratulate your employees on a job well done or thank them for going above and beyond on a project. Any work environment can get rushed and tensions can run high; it’s important to check those heated feelings before communicating with your colleagues, especially when you are called to give constructive criticism (“constructive” being the operative word). To really create an environment of comradery amongst your employees and team members, treat your colleagues to the occasional lunch, or do something special on a national celebration. Your company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) policy could include a work day once a year or once a month, on which colleagues commit to an act of community service.

Empower social initiators

Some people have a natural talent for bringing out the best in people, whether they are cheering up someone in a bad space or encouraging another person to pull out all the stops in a project. These are individuals, who best embody the ideals of your company’s mission statement. Identify them and encourage these employees to keep their colleagues feeling motivated and included.

Never underestimate the impact of a positive office culture. A warm, friendly and overall positive work environment can create a powerful sense of loyalty and ownership in your employees, driving them to dedicate more time and effort to the goals of the business. An effective leader recognises the importance of rewarding hard work by his or her employees by creating an environment where progress is celebrated, and teamwork grows innovation.