One big part of what separates a great company to work for from one that isn’t is its ‘vibe’. But what does this mean? A company’s vibe is made up of how the people within it communicate, how much the employees enjoy their jobs, and the energy that people bring to the job. Every work vibe is crafted and sculpted carefully.
If your company’s vibe isn’t seeming right, there’s lots you can do to create a positive atmosphere and make sure your employees feel happy when they’re working.
Encourage Collaboration
Working with others, whether online or in person, is the perfect way to enhance employee engagement and create positive vibes. Here’s why:
- It increases creativity: Everyone’s imagination is different. Collaborating with others means you can build off their ideas and create something amazing.
- Collaboration improves problem-solving and decision-making. Working with others means combining your brains and considering several different perspectives.
- It fosters stronger team relationships: If people are familiar with who they talk to when they’re working, it can help them feel comfortable. Whether it’s people they see in the office or work with virtually, it’s much easier to do a job with people who you can be yourself around rather than individuals who don’t know you.
How To Encourage Collaboration
Co-working spaces are a great place to encourage collaboration among your employees. These collaborative settings have a community focus, are full of helpful amenities, and are flexible. Many different people use these spaces, such as those who usually work remotely, because they provide a change of scenery. Co-working spaces tend to include facilities like meeting rooms, break-out spaces, shared workstations and more which is useful for those who don’t have many amenities at home. If someone usually works from home but has a big project to work on with others, then meeting in a co-working space temporarily can be useful as well.
If your company has a private office, there are many ways you can encourage employees to work together, like by incorporating hot desking. This is when people don’t have their own dedicated desk and instead can sit where they want to. If they need to work on a project with someone, then they can decide to sit next to them. This system is also great for companies with hybrid workers, as it means spaces don’t go unused for long periods. If you have a spare room in your office, you could also consider turning it into a meeting room. This gives employees a dedicated place to go if they need to collaborate or have workplace discussions.
Create a Safe Space for Authenticity
People perform best when they can be themselves. A company that celebrates diversity and encourages unique perspectives will naturally have better collaboration and more innovative thinking. If you’re a leader in the company, then you have a responsibility to make authenticity possible. If you’re approachable, empathetic and communicative, you can set the tone for the rest of the organisation. Emotional intelligence plays a huge part in this. Take time to understand how your team feels, what motivates them, and how you can support them through challenges.
Prioritise Flexibility and Balance
Our jobs are a big part of our lives, but they’re not the only thing that matters and it’s important that workers can find balance. Team leaders should look for ways they can help with this, such as introducing the option to work from home. Hybrid working allows people to be flexible and manage their personal life. For example, eliminating travel times means that employees have more time to see their families and manage house duties.
Flexible hours are also useful for many people, and the traditional 9 to 5 is becoming increasingly less popular. For example, someone might prefer to work an 8 til 4 shift because they have children who arrive home from school at 4. Someone else might prefer to work an 11 til 7 shift because they feel more productive in the afternoon compared to the morning. If you’re unsure, ask your employees what they think would allow them to be more flexible.
Keep Communication Open and Honest
If someone is unhappy about something at work and feels as though they can’t bring it up, this can start all sorts of problems. Create an environment where people feel able to speak up if they’re unhappy. You could have check-ins every few weeks or months where employees can express any concerns or questions they have. If something in their personal life is affecting their ability to work, they should also feel comfortable bringing it up.
Team leaders should do all they can to accommodate someone’s concerns or worries to increase workplace satisfaction. Many companies incorporate mental health days that people can take if they’re feeling down or simply need to refresh. Transparent communication builds clarity, and it helps people feel like they’re part of something bigger.
Remember to Celebrate the Small Wins (and the Big Ones, Too)
If someone achieves something amazing and notable, then let them know and celebrate it! For example, if a client sends an email which says something positive about one of your employees, forward the email to them and let them know they’ve done great. Whether it’s employee of the month, a Teams shoutout, or pulling them aside and telling them in person, recognition is like rocket fuel. If someone knows they’re doing good, it’s encouraging, and they’ll want to do it again.
Have Fun!
A great way to bond with team members is by having work socials. If you have employees who work remotely, then this is also a great opportunity to get everyone together. Here are some ideas:
- Escape rooms: A fantastic way to challenge your team’s problem-solving skills and to see how everyone’s mind works.
- Go out for a meal and drinks: Not every work social has to be crazy and expensive. Simply going for a meal and enjoying some drinks is an ideal way to get to know the people you work with.
- Cooking class: Put on your chef hat and see who’s the best cook! This is a brilliant way to have a laugh and try something new.
- Games night: Whether it’s darts, golf or board games, getting competitive creates amazing memories.
Final Thoughts
Creating a great vibe within your company takes time, effort, consistency, and lots of listening. When you get it right, the results are powerful. If you need to make some changes to your business, now is the time to start, because at the end of the day, vibes really do matter.
Author: Rosie Buckley – Freelance writer and blogger
Photo credit: StockCake
