People tend to be happy and engaged in the workplace when they are good at their job, have autonomy, understand their purpose and can see they are making a difference. Do you have a happy workplace?
If your office is a little negative and you hear lots of complaining and problems here are some tips to make a change. Perhaps try one thing at a time to compliment what you are already doing. Stick with what works and know when to let go of what doesn’t.
1. Smile – even if you don’t feel like it, a smile will actually shift how you feel internally. And when others see you smiling, they feel better as well.
2. Show your appreciation to those who do a good job, get things done on time and to those who go above and beyond what they’re required to do. You’ll feel good and so will they. Feedback their successes at a company level, so they can see how they have contributed to the overall picture.
3. Do more of what you enjoy and improve the areas you don’t enjoy – Make a list of the things you really enjoy about your job and your workplace and review it regularly to remind yourself. For the things you don’t enjoy, ask yourself how you could make them tolerable. Could you do them at a different time, in a different location, maybe with some music going? Can you speak to your manager about them, and offer a possible solution? Can you see anything good about them? If so, focus on that instead.
4. Play to your strengths – If you play on people’s strengths, you’ll see a dramatic shift toward a positive attitude in the workplace. So get to know yourself and your people, develop their strengths and put their skills to good use whether that is numbers, detail, people or problem solving.
5. Keep a solutions focus – If problems are encountered ask yourself or your team, “How can we solve this issue, and what can we learn from it?” Every problem, or challenge, is an opportunity to learn and grow. Encourage your team to find proposed solutions that could solve the problem rather than complaining.
6. Think Win–Win – Steven Covey’s 4th Habit. Win-win sees life as a cooperative arena, not a competitive one. Win-win is a frame of mind and heart that constantly seeks mutual benefit in all human interactions. Win-win means agreements or solutions are mutually beneficial and satisfying. There is always a way to make agreements positive for both parties involved. Ask “What would be good for you?” Once they and you have answered that question, do your best to work out a solution that implements as any many of the good ideas for both sides as possible.
7. Build Autonomy – If you are a manager, trust your people to do the jobs they were hired for. If you give people the authority to do their jobs, you will get amazing results, much better than if you hover over them. Give your people clarity about what you want them to achieve, and then let them go do it, with coaching support when they need it. Most people will do the best they can to live up to the confidence you’re placing in them, and they will appreciate you for it.
Good Luck and make sure you also look after yourself – It’s easier to keep a positive attitude when you’re not feeling run down, stressed and tired. Getting enough sleep, eating well, drinking enough water and getting regular exercise will help give you much more energy and focus.
