What makes a positive work environment?

A positive work environment is one where all employees are treated equally and respectfully. It’s a place where team members trust management and each other, and people feel safe to share ideas and constructive criticisms.

Businesses that prioritize creating a positive work environment want more than just happiness for their employees. They aim to help them feel fulfilled in their roles and empowered to accomplish their personal goals.

Executives and managers of a company with a positive work environment striveto ensure all employees feel welcome. They appreciate the unique qualities, talents and traits that each person brings to the table.

Benefits of a positive work environment

Everyone in your company—and the company itself—benefits from a positive work environment. A positive team culture can:

• Increase employee retention rates. Employees are less likely to leave a company that values them and creates a safe, supportive working environment.
• Boost employee morale. A positive work environment encourages employees to collaborate with and support each other, raising morale.
• Improve engagement. When employees feel valued and appreciated in their work environment, they become more invested in the company’s success and are more likely to be engaged.
• Attract high-quality talent. Changing your organizational culture to focus on workplace positivity can encourage more employee referrals and improve your candidate experience, aiding your recruitment efforts.
• Encourage innovation. When employees feel comfortable and safe, they’re more likely to come forward with the unique ideas, perspectives and insights that inspire innovation. These creative solutions can help your company increase profits and stimulate growth.
• Raise productivity rates. A positive work environment equips employees with the resources and support they need to excel in their roles and be more productive.

Best practices for creating a positive work environment

As a leader, you can take steps to cultivate a positive workplace by following these tips.

1. Implement programs and policies that celebrate differences in the workplace

Official policies are a good way to codify your company’s commitment to positivity in the workplace. They clarify your position, lay out expectations and set boundaries for behavior. Examples include:

• An equal opportunity policy to prevent discrimination
• An employee conduct policy that prohibits aggression and harassment
• A standard promotion and pay raise policy
• A disciplinary policy that applies equally to everyone
• A complaint policy
• An ethical workplace standards that apply to all employees

Once you have policies in place, back them up with action. This shows that you’re serious about creating a positive work environment. For ideas, consider these examples of actions that support positivity.

• Offer break room snacks and company lunches that satisfy employee dietary restrictions rising from religious affiliations or physical health needs.
• Provide an anonymous feedback system so employees can report issues in the workplace.
• Encourage employees to use preferred pronouns and neutral terminology like “spouse” or “partner.”
• Make sure all entryways and office areas are accessible for people with disabilities.
• Be flexible and accommodate and support employees’ family, religious, cultural, personal and health needs. Examples include providing parental and adoption leave to all new parents and granting access to breastfeeding rooms for new mothers.
• Offer paid time off to volunteer to encourage employees to participate in causes they care about.

2. Ask employees how you can support them

Communicate your desire to build a more positive work environment, and enlist your employees’ help to accomplish your goal.Encourage them to come to you with any concerns or suggestions for making the workplace more inclusive and comfortable for everyone. You can also find ideas for representing and including employees by:

• Holding brainstorming sessions
• Implementing an open-door policy
• Creating an anonymous comment box or online feedback form

Take employee suggestions seriously; use them to create new policies, programs or systems. Alternatively, work together to find solutions.

3. Hold inclusive and respectful meetings

Employees spend a great deal of time in meetings. Try these strategies to make them more positive:

• Distribute agendas and materials in advance. That way, people with learning disabilities or those who speak English as a second language have more time to prepare.
• Offer everyone the chance to speak. Ask for input from each person, and don’t allow a few people to dominate the conversation. This ensures that everyone gets equal consideration.
• Encourage risk-taking. Create a no-judgment zone for ideas and different perspectives. You never know what innovations might arise.
• Distribute credit and praise equally. Recognize employees’ accomplishments and contributions.

4. Create a workplace council

A workplace council is a dedicated team of leaders and employees who are committed to fostering a positive workplace. Its goal is to implement policies, activities and training courses that make employees feel appreciated and accepted. Fill this council with diverse team members to maximize innovation and creativity.

Your workplace council can come up with ideas to:

• Make the hiring process more inclusive
• Monitor diversity in the workforce
• Give underrepresented employees a voice
• Help employees feel more comfortable
• Celebrate the backgrounds and identities of employees
• Solve problems that detract from employee morale

5. Create employer resource groups (ERGs) for employees

Resource groups offer a great way to help your employees feel connected to each other and the company. Create groups for employees who share similar qualities and backgrounds; they can become a safe place to build friendships, discuss any challenges they’re facing and share advice.

Potential resource groups may be:

• Culture, race and ethnicity-based
• Women in the workplace
• LGBTQ+ employees
• Single parents
• Religion or faith-based

Read more: Employee Resource Groups: Your Complete Guide

6. Educate leadership on the importance of creating a positive work environment

Your leaders and executives are the most influential people in your company. Use that to your advantage by making sure they’re leading by example.

Encourage them to attend trainings on relevant topics, such as culturalsensitivity, respectful workplaces and inclusion. Then, ask them to put the principles they learn into action. When your executives and managers practice habits that improve positivity on a daily basis, other employees will follow suit.

7. Recognize employee achievements

Consistently taking the time to recognize and thank your team can help employees feel more appreciated and improve the overall work environment. Consider instituting one or more employee recognition programs, such as:

• Service anniversary awards
• Customer service awards
• Employee-of-the-month awards
• Sales awards
• Employee appreciation days and events
• Employee recognition walls
• Weekly email and social media shout-outs
• Bonus programs
• Peer-to-peer recognition awards

You can recognize employee achievements in less formal ways as well. Send thank-you notes and emails to employees who go above and beyond, and give verbal praise when it’s due.

How to create a positive hiring and onboarding process

Once you’ve begun creating a positive work environment, you can direct your efforts to reshaping our hiring andonboarding process.

1. Set diversity goals and find strategies to meet them

Set diversity goals to ensure that HR makes inclusion a top priority. Ways to bring in diverse candidates include:

• Identifying the skills you need rather than a prescribed career path
• Considering applicants from different educational backgrounds
• Expanding your job posting strategy to reach new cultural groups
• Welcoming applicants of all ages
• Reaching out to community groups to find more candidates

2. Mention your commitment to a positive work environment on hiring and marketing materials

Before they apply for a job at your company, most applicants will check out your website and review your recruiting materials. Make sure your positive workplace and inclusion policies are front and center so candidates know that you take the quality of theworking environment seriously.

When you’re direct about your commitment to positivity, you can attract candidates who share the same values. More importantly, you can encourage people from underrepresented groups to apply; they’ll feel safe and excited to work in an environment that’s accepting of their background, identity and personality.

3. Prioritize a great candidate experience

Candidates judge what it will be like to work for your company based on your hiring process. Prioritizing candidate experience sends a message that you take creating a positive work environment seriously and are successful in your efforts.

Some ways that you can ensure candidates have a good experience include:

• Having an easy-to-search job posting page
• Writing job descriptions that are simple to understand and use positive, inclusive language
• Providing clear instructions on job applications
• Using AI and automation to increase the speed of the hiring process
• Making employees feel welcome during interviews
• Sending follow-up messages after interviews to thank employees for their time
• Setting clear expectations about next steps with each point of contact
• Maintaining good communication throughout the hiring process

4. Integrate diversity and inclusion training into the onboarding process

If you offer training for new employees, add diversity and inclusion education into the mix. This can establish employee expectations and help new team members learn to be inclusive and positive at work. They can gain the awareness and understanding they need to integrate into the team and treat everyone with respect.

Topics for inclusivity training might include:

• Respecting employee differences
• Appropriate and inappropriate language
• Appreciating other perspectives
• Overcoming stereotypes
• Accommodating people with different abilities

5. Help employees get to know new hires

Help your new hires feel included from the beginning by sending out optional questionnaires. Add questions about their hometown, hobbies and pronoun preferences. With permission, share their answers with your team. This simple process can provide conversation starters and help new employees feel less like strangers.

Consider adding the open-ended question, “Is there anything you’d like your new colleagues to know about you?” This gives new employees the chance to share important information to help ease the transition. They might mention special dietary needs, religious requirements or special accommodations they need at work.

If you decide to use a questionnaire, make sure new hires know that participation is optional, and they have the freedom to provide as many or as few details as they like.