Good office culture comes from good leadership
Nothing has a bigger impact on office culture than the business leaders. If there is a big divide between the employees and management – either in terms of accessibility or attitude – morale is likely to be low. Employees support leaders who are accessible, honest, genuine, and invest in their team.
If a business’s leaders are willing to roll up their sleeves and get the job done alongside their team, morale and productivity will soar. When leaders are available to their team and muck in to get the work done, it creates a sense of teamwork and togetherness. Employees will be much more likely to feel good about the goals they are working towards and the business’s overall mission.
Another important way that leaders shape culture is through transparency. Secrecy or a lack of communication from the top down can make workers feel insecure or uncertain about the future of the business and their place in it.
Workplaces with a positive office culture will support transparency about the business and its goals. Often part of this is visibility around pay and promotions, but transparency around business profits and future goals is also important.
That friendly feeling
A positive office culture is built on the relationships between the team members. When good leaders recruit – especially for small teams – they keep in mind that there should be a cultural fit between team members.
Good leaders also help to create an environment free from inter-office politics and back biting. Sure, a small amount of gossip happens in most professional settings, but in a healthy company, this will be an exception, rather than something that happens often.
Natural friendships between team members encourage an incredibly positive work environment full of high morale and productivity. This in turn leads to a team of people happy to go above and beyond and be involved, and workplace involvement is another sign of a healthy and positive office culture.
Businesses that support their teams in getting together for positive and fun experiences – both professional and personal – are guaranteed to have a low staff turnover. One way that the positivity of an office’s culture is indicated is in the level of involvement of each employee. For instance, if a company has an optional event outside of work hours and every single employee shows up, that could be a good indicator that employees feel invested in and excited to give back and be involved.
Balance is key
We’ve all worked a job where our bosses expect too much from us. Whether it’s expecting us to stay late with no overtime pay or expecting you to be constantly available even after hours or on holiday. It’s not pleasant, and can be very demoralising in the long term.
A work-life balance is a vital part of a positive office culture. Management should actively encourage this balance and discourage often working after hours or whilst on annual leave, except in extreme cases. They should also encourage employees to take their holiday days and submit overtime hours.
Bosses expecting too much doesn’t just apply to working hours though. In toxic work environments, bosses often expect their employees to work above and beyond their ability or resource, with very little thanks. Wins should be celebrated, whether through employee of the month awards, regular bonuses, or some other rewards scheme, it shows that a company makes recognising performance a priority.
Another way bosses can support employees in workplace balance is to allow their team opportunities for growth, learning, and promotion. Positive office cultures rely on employees being given the opportunity to expand their skill set and advance their careers within the business.
Positive company values breeds a positive office culture
How can you expect a positive office culture from a company that doesn’t have positive values? A great office culture doesn’t just come out of thin air. A great office culture has to be built by the people who built the company. These values and missions should be accessible to all employees, and be built into all of the business’s communications (both inside the company and out).
A key value that you should search for within every company is diversity. If everyone within a business fits the same demographic – be it age, gender, race or religion – that’s a red flag. This may not apply so much to very small companies with only a handful of employees, but larger organisations should embrace diversity in hiring, thought and approach.
A good office culture can only thrive in a great office space
The physical environment that a team works in every day can have a huge impact on morale. Morale is a little like the chicken or the egg; a team with high morale makes an office feel positive, and a positive office culture raises morale.
Comfortable working conditions (along with amenities and perks) will contribute massively to morale levels. In an office environment, this can include:
- Comfortable chairs with good spine, neck and head support
- Spacious desks with room for personal bits and bobs
- Natural light and warm electric lighting
- A comfy and roomy break area, if possible with a kitchen
- Provided tea and coffee
When employees are working from home, it’s harder to ensure that they’re working in a comfortable and positive space. What management can do, however, is ensure desks and chairs are provided as a minimum. Many employers also spring for reward schemes. Employees can get free or reduced goodies, like coffee, cinema tickets and gym memberships.
If office space is something you’re struggling with as a business, don’t settle for space that doesn’t meet your needs. Instead, give us a call today and find out how our office spaces can work for you! Magenta’s office spaces are available in a variety of popular, central locations across London and the Midlands. Offering superfast wifi, free parking, easy rail links, all-inclusive rent and flexible terms – not to mention great views – these offices are the perfect place to build a home for your business.
We also offer co-working spaces. This means individual employees can get away from the kitchen table and work in a positive, creative, bustling professional environment. Get a quote or give us a call today on 0800 802 1360 and let us help you build a positive office culture, from your office space up.