A Courteous, Positive Company Culture Leads to a Successful Venture

Hopefully you’ve encountered businesses that just exude a positive attitude, with employees who seem to genuinely enjoy the work they do and the people they do it with. You know it from the real smile you receive when you walk in the door, to their obvious enjoyment in their work and often, to a feeling that this is a business that is successful and will be around for a long time!

Usually this positive attitude goes hand-in-hand with a courteous environment. No, it’s not the high drama and frustration we see on office-based television shows. It isn’t the boss cracking the whip to push employees to their limit.

But rather than creating a soft, squishy, negligent kind of power structure, courtesy and a positive attitude creates a dynamic that people want to buy from, invest in and work with. Enthusiasm, encouragement and confidence help others believe in you and what you’re doing. Employees are often more productive and make fewer errors. That increased productivity often leads to higher profits as well as reduced absenteeism and sick leave. Employees who feel valued and supported are more comfortable sharing new ideas, improving creativity and problem-solving.

So how do you foster an environment of courtesy and positive attitude?

It starts from within. It starts from a clear belief that a positive company culture is one that creates and reaps the rewards of collaboration, productivity and employee satisfaction. Managers trust their employees to produce quality work and to make good decisions. Employees respect each other and contribute to the team to complete projects and to get the day-to-day business done in a pleasant, effective manner. Employees are given responsibilities that play to their strengths. But how do you get there? Here are some ideas from Indeed.*

Interact with colleagues

Be the example and greet your colleagues when you see them in the office and say goodbye when parting for the day. This small interaction builds connections within the team. Check in when you’re together in the break room or passing in the hallway.

Recognition for Work well done

Offer appreciation for excellent work whenever you can, whether it’s an email blast or a shout-out during a staff meeting or a formalized incentive program where management or employees nominate a worker.

Understanding their value

Be sure employees understand the role they play in the company’s success. Understanding their value often increases their engagement.

Support

Though we all usually have full plates at work, foster the attitude of helping out coworkers who may be struggling with their piece of a project, or even when the office printer jams!

Set Goals

Create goals for employees that are attainable and important to the work at hand. Encourage employees to set their own goals as well, and give them appropriate tools to measure those goals.

Encourage movement

So much of our office work is in front of a computer screen or some other sedentary effort. Encourage short breaks every hour. Getting up and moving around, checking in with colleagues, clearing your brain for a few minutes are all mood boosters and help break up the tedium…much more effective than the secret breaks scrolling through social media!

Community Service

Many companies make allowances for employees to contribute to community-oriented programs. From hosting a donation drive for the local food bank to giving employees time to serve on non-profit boards, employees feel respected and connected. Stakeholders including customers, vendors and investors often appreciate businesses that are engaged with the community they live and work in.

Professional Development

An engaged employee often wants to get better at what they do, or acquire skills that allow them to move up within the company. Your organization may be large enough to conduct in-house training. Or do some research to see if there are webinars or conferences that address skills that you want in your employees. Ask employees if they have a class or event they’d like to attend. You get a more engaged employee AND an expanded skill set!

These are just a few ideas of how to foster a courteous and positive workplace. Once you’ve baked these attitudes into your company culture, it will go a long way towards that positivity reflecting outward to customers, vendors, investors and the community.

Looking for an immersive experience in leadership development or to develop leadership skills for a team member? Consider Leadership La Plata, an excellent local resource. Check out www.LeadershipLaPlata.org for more information.

* https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/happy-workplace

Beth Porter is the Senior Marketing Consultant with Four Corners Broadcasting and an alumni of Leadership La Plata Class of 2015-2016.

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