Signs of a Healthy Work Environment

There's no denying that a healthy work environment is a top concern for most employees. Review any employee satisfaction survey and you're apt to find this issue among the top five concerns of your staff ? sometimes above the issue of pay.

So how do you know if your organization provides a safe, healthy environment for employees? Well, there are some signs to look for.

1. Employees laugh often.

Generally, humor is a sign of comfort. Employees that feel comfortable with co-workers and have joy in their work will exhibit laughter throughout the day.

2. Employees freely share their ideas.

Does management truly have an open-door policy? Employees need a safe environment to share their ideas. Most employees have an opinion about how to make things better. Lack of unsolicited feedback from staff may indicate that they do not feel safe in presenting their opinions.

3. Employee values and expectations are clear.

Staff must know what is expected from them. Codes of conduct, expectations of behavior on the job, and professional values must be included in each job description, and reviewed at each performance evaluation.

4. We work simply.

Frivolous demands and activities can add stress to an already busy schedule. You'd be surprised how many non-essential duties staff are asked to perform. Some are hidden. How many reports and activities are collecting the same data?

5. Our organization is reasonably orderly and comfortable.

A cluttered, disorganized environment is not healthy. A healthy work environment is also comfortable. How many chairs do you have that employees refuse to sit in because they are uncomfortable? Why are they still around?

6. Employees have strong connections with others.

A link to the community is a sign of caring. Encourage and reward staff that volunteer outside of work. Have a special event that the organization supports as a whole.

Creating a healthy work environment is possible. First, make having a healthy work environment a priority. Then, look for the above indicators. Some areas you have control, others you do not. Lastly, support actions that encourage improvements in the above areas.

About The Author

Ron Prewitt is a Personal Life Coach who helps people with life, career, business, or relationship challenges. Create your "best life" today. To learn more visit www.ronprewitt.com, or call (702) 460-6489.

rprewitt@gte.net

---

Resume Tune Up

Employers have fears, uncertainty and DOUBT (the FUD factor) over... Read More

Self Describing Skills - Key Strengths

You need to be the best you can at describing... Read More

Creating a Feng Shui Power Office: 6 Easy Tips to More Successful Surroundings

More and more people are looking to gain an edge... Read More

Overcoming Inertia in Job Change

If you can hold on to an optimistic belief in... Read More

Get Paid to Shop And Keep Everything You Buy - Without Having to Pay!

Can You Tell Good Service From Bad; Recognise Value For... Read More

The 7 Tough Job Interview Questions That Can Make or Break You - and How to Answer Them

Some interview questions are asked so frequently that they've become... Read More

Should You Join a Modeling School for Petite Modeling?

If you are thinking of breaking into the petite modeling... Read More

Job Search Blurts

I coined this word to draw attention to the nervous... Read More

What Can I Do To Improve My Job-Interviewing Skills?

Whether you're a student job seeker or a polished and... Read More

How to Reach Outside Yourself to Advance Your Career

When flipping the channels of your TV, you are bound... Read More

Your Value Proposition: A Critical Component To Having A Successful Job Search

Your value proposition is a series of statements defining your... Read More

Marketing You and Your Career

Imagine if a business invested years into the research, design,... Read More

Giving Notice: 6 Things to Do To Prepare to Leave

After days, weeks, months or longer of interviewing, you have... Read More

Job Search 101

The whole job search effort is completely exhausting and at... Read More

The Hidden Agenda of Interviews

It's Not What They Ask - The Hidden Agenda of... Read More

Why Do Interviews Die: That Sinking Feeling and How to Prevent it!

Interviews die because a mistake occurred. Sometimes, you've made a... Read More

Now, Do You Have Any Questions?

"Who is that hot babe in the picture?" isn't the... Read More

Feng Shui Your Desk for Career Success

Have you used feng shui around your desk? It's a... Read More

Building Performance Trust

You can have outstanding ideas, yet never leverage them into... Read More

To All Managers: How Does ADD Affect Your Workplace?

Tent caterpillars create a cocoon for an entire colony. Within... Read More

Should You Make A Career Decision Based Upon A Career Quiz?

Q. I'm about to graduate High School and I don't... Read More

The Network Within

When you hear the word "networking", what comes to your... Read More

Losing a Career When Youre Moving for Love

Those who watched HBO's Sex and the City (SATC, now... Read More

Writing Great Cover Letters

Cover letters are an essential ingredient to your complete résumé... Read More

The Recruiting Truth...Time Is Not On Your Side

In today's marketplace things are constantly changing and so are... Read More

5 Interviewing Tips To Get That Job!

Anyone who is a jobseeker knows that looking for a... Read More

Sample Resume Objectives: What They All Tend To Miss

Sample resume objectives. When a harried and possibly panicked job... Read More

Moving From A Weekend Hobby To Career In The Arts

Building a career as an artist takes hard work. Because... Read More

Resume Writing Tips

Make sure that your resume is up to date with... Read More

The Organized Job Search

Many people, under financial or other pressures to find work... Read More

How NOT to Write a Resume

You can learn a lot about how to do something... Read More

How to Transform a Boring Note Into A Killer Cover Letter - Part I

The AIDA formula is as old as dirt. It was... Read More

6 Vital Tips For Creating A Superior Resume

1: Keep It ShortConsidering that initially HR personnel only spend... Read More