“To make customers happy,” says Tony Hsieh, “we have to make sure our employees are happy first.” When he penned this mantra back in 2010, did the CEO of Zappos.com have any idea of the shift in workplace priorities that was to come?
Today, across the world, businesses are turning their attentions inwards, making workplace culture a core business priority. In fact, Deloitte’s research found that 94% of executives believe that a ‘distinct corporate culture’ is key to the success of their company.
And other studies prove why: a healthy workplace culture increases productivity, collaboration and efficiency, enhances retention and satisfaction, “and most importantly,” says workplace inclusivity and diversity consultant Dr Pragya Agarwal, “a positive workplace environment reduces stress in employees.”
As with any major organisational shift, it can be daunting to set the wheels of change in motion. But if you want to improve teamwork, raise morale and avoid burnout, there are some simple ways to get started. Here are 7 of them:
1. Improve your inclusion
What is culture without diversity? Around the world, business leaders are ensuring that their hiring practices, language policies and training programs are built to make everyone feel included – no matter their background. Even micro-attempts to build connection within disparate teams or integrating new starters into your workplace with warmth will boost your company culture – and have the potential to show benefits in your team performance and profits further down the line.
2. Value your values
A core foundation of beliefs that your whole team subscribes to, can help to connect people by instilling a feeling of working together on the path to something greater. For example, ‘sustainability’ is a core value at BRITA, and all activities, products and outreach are aligned with this in mind. What does your company believe in?
3. Make mundane tasks matter
Designing a wellness initiative that people are forced to participate in is hard to do, so it can be more effective to enhance what employees already 'have to do' on a daily basis. For example, everyone needs to drink water, move around and consult their colleagues. Yet, companies often struggle to find small ways of making these mundane tasks a little easier and more enjoyable. By installing a BRITA® VIVREAU ViTap, you can make something as simple as a glass of water a far more engaging experience - bringing people together over nature’s most refreshing drink.
4. Address burnout through increased interaction
According to Professor Michael Leiter who teaches Industrial and Organisational Psychology at Deakin University, five to seven per cent of the workforce is affected by burnout. "One of the big factors of measuring whether people are burnt out or engaged in what they're doing is the quality of relationships of people at work; the people you work with. Each person is incomplete in terms of dealing with the full perplexity [of a task] … they're all interdependent on people of different skills, and it doesn't work without that connection. And that connection occurs through day-to-day encounters — it's not through magic.” In fact, 88% of millennials work better in collaborative environments as opposed to competitive ones. On that note…
5. Think beyond tap water when it comes to hydration
“The great myth of our times,” said composer Libby Larsen, “is that technology is communication.” Although technological advancement in the workplace has untapped incredible productivity and efficiency, we have also seen a real decline in human interaction with every new digital communication tool. Studies show that ‘water cooler conversations’ increase productivity by 10-15%, and group culture has shown to improve if we provide space and opportunities for face-to-face interactions. The bubbling dinosaurs of traditional water coolers rarely exist these days, but BRITA is bringing “Meet me at the ViTap” into fashion.
6. Stay Hydrated
It seems simple, but even a small drop in hydration levels (2%) can increase grumpiness, headaches, poor concentration and difficulty completing tasks. By installing a BRITA® VIVREAU ViTap, employees can refill, refuel and recharge with incredible tasting, ethical, healthy water – hot or chilled, still or sparkling - with reduced chlorine, limescale, copper and lead. Your workforce can be happier and healthier in no time with this forward-thinking commitment to sustainability and wellness - all with 50 years of state-of-the-art filtration expertise at its core.
7. Give people agency
“Letting people make decisions about how they spend their days is vital to a healthy work arrangement,” says Professor Leiter. Implement flexible work policies and work with your staff to design their weeks as best suits them. Everyone is different, and needs to attend to different dynamics outside of office hours – let them take control.
