We spend a large proportion of our day at work, and with today's business climate there are now more stresses and challenges than ever before. A successful working environment starts with a happy workforce, so it's important that you ensure you are maintaining a good standard of ethics. 

As an employer, or an employee, it is imperative that you take responsibility for creating a pleasant working environment, not just for you but for your colleagues, but how can we create a positive working environment when we don't usually get a say or have authority for changes? The reality is, the attitude we bring into work with us plays a big part in our working environment. Digital marketing agency Red Cow media believes in making their staff feel part of a family. A community of people who all work in cohesion to achieve the same goal means that both work quality and satisfaction will excel.

Our colleagues and especially our boss, have a huge influence on our day-to-day working experience, and one of the best ways we can improve this is to model the behaviour we wish to see within the office. By showing respect, patience and trust, we are more likely to receive these behaviours in return.

A happy work environment attracts good people and hard workers, so helping the people you work with will also do well for the company. There are many things you can do to create a sustainably happy working environment, so here are some ways to get started. 

Hire Happy People

If you are an employer, hiring people who are going to help create a happier workplace may take a little more preparation and thought. It is natural for you to focus on relevant experience and previous achievements when interviewing potential candidates, and you are right for wanting those qualities, but ignoring the candidate's personality is a big mistake. 

The best candidate on paper may be the worst person for your office, so look for the intangibles. Be aware of how you feel around the person, do they seem like they focus on the negatives or positives? Do they smile and laugh? Whilst their track record and performance is important, a person who brings unhappy energy into the office may kill off other's motivation and productivity. 

Get Out Of The Work Routine (Occasionally)

We, as people, have a tendency to not focus on the bigger picture when we are busy at work. This can prevent us from creating fun perks or planning events which make the workplace a happier place. Treat your employees to something that is surprising and fun, such as a movie trip or even just a meal out at dinner time. Anything you can do to make people feel better will create a better environment. 

Show That You Care For Your Employees

The Hawthorne Effect is an increase in positivity when people feel like they are cared about within the workplace. It makes people happy to be asked how they are and for you to take some time to find out how everything is going in both their personal and work lives. Whilst this doesn't mean standing in the kitchen for hours on end chatting, you should remember to take the time to ask “how are you?” or even if they fancy a cup of tea. 

Offering good company benefits, such as private healthcare or early finishes, all go a long way in making sure that your employees feel looked after.

Encourage Selfish Thinking

A huge part of the secret of creating a happy workplace is to encourage people to have their own work goals and achievements. When people feel like they are working towards something, the day-to-day stresses of the workplace won't affect them as much. 

Each and every challenging day that they encounter will be better tolerated as it won't feel as much of a personal end. Some people are able to completely separate themselves from their jobs and not become dragged down in the negativity when they are focused on reaching their personal goals. 

Focus On The Positives

A lot of workplaces get caught up in the negatives. They often debrief by going over what didn't work, but turn that around and focus on the positives instead. This doesn't mean you should ignore things which need to be improved on, but instead, when you are looking for the good you will find it. If you look for bad things, then everything will seem bleak. 

Create A Comfortable Office 

Working in a clean and comfortable office space can have massive effects on coworkers and manager relationships. Give your employees a choice of how and where they work, choosing where they are comfortable. They spend a large amount of time sitting at a desk or out and about, so ensuring they have a comfortable workstation will make them more proactive. Find out if they like to sit or stand whilst working if they have a chair preference or even whether their keyboard is right for them. 

According to a recent survey, those who claimed that their work furniture was bad are likely to consider their working environment as being less productive and depressing. Make it easy for employees to purchase things such as stationary and desk plants within the company budget. Some employers make it well-known that employees are welcome to take breaks or recharge when necessary. 

Let employees choose and create a space which is comfortable for them and give them the freedom to customise their workspace. Look at steering away from issuing the same stuff to all employees and give everyone a small, personal budget which they can use. 

Improve Office Communication

Be actively aware of how you are interacting with employees and co-workers. Team members and upper management should be focusing on their communication methods and the effects that these can have on the working environment. When employees are motivated and feel valued, they usually provide positive reinforcement and contribute to the success of the business. You may have different teams for different aspects of the business such as the SEO agency team, and the sales people, but integrating these teams can make it feel much more collaborative.

You should offer your employees specific feedback on how their work is being used within the broader business scale and within work objectives. This gives them an insight into how they personally help the company. But, employees shouldn't be the only ones being evaluated. Managers should also be open to receiving criticism.

When you involve staff in the decision-making in an attempt to create a better working environment, they feel more valued. Don't be afraid of asking employees for their opinion on a new work benefit or a new client project which they may be working on. They do, after all, spend their week working within your company so have an idea of what is going on. 

Whilst you are working on communication, don't forget to show gratitude for their hard work. Effective employee recognition can elevate and transform an organisation. It increases enthusiasm, builds trust and generates results. Even a simple “thank you” after an employee goes above and beyond on a certain project, or stays behind most nights, goes a very long way.