What if you could get more out of your team, just by them being happier? Well, according to the research—you can. Work-related stress has been linked to 45% higher health care costs, while disengaged employees cost U.S. companies up to 550 billion a year.

 

Happy = $$$

Creating an environment where people feel safe, heard, valued and respected is not only good for the individual but has substantial benefits to the bottom line. People who feel better, perform better. According to a 2015 study at the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom, happier people were 12% more productive than the average person.

 

Benefits of a positive work culture

Research shows that creating a positive work environment has many benefits:

  • Empowers creativity and innovation
  • Improves personal relationships and team dynamics
  • Improves overall health and wellness
  • Increases productivity and profits
  • Trust and loyalty increase
  • Gives companies the ability to hire higher-caliber employees

 

Positivity vs. stress

Positivity has its benefits and stress has its cost. Creating an environment that is not only focused around the success of the company, but the success of the people is key. Engaged employees feel valued, respected and supported.

 

How to create a positive workplace

Encourage open communication and feedback

Without feedback there’s no growth. Creating an environment that encourages feedback and communication allows people to trust and be more creative. According to research by Amy Edmondson of Harvard, employees who feel safe rather than fearful, have better performance outcomes.

 

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Lead with compassion and empathy

A leader who leads with kindness, compassion and empathy, has the ability to impact the energy and tone of the entire organization. A brain-imagining study, found that when employees recalled the treatment of an unkind or apathetic boss, the area of the brain associated with avoidance and negative emotions had increased activation. The opposite was true when recalling an empathic boss.

 

 

Seek the support of a professional mental fitness consultant

Adding a professional mental fitness consultant provides tools for staff to address issues in a non-confrontational way. Mental fitness means having and creating an environment and behaviors that encourage mental health. It’s about creating an environment that:

    1. Minimizes negative or toxic stress
    2. Encourages creativity
    3. Encourages positive mindset
    4. Encourages communication and engagement
    5. Makes people feel happy and valued

 

Start increasing company profits today!

Now is the perfect time to focus your attention and efforts toward building a positive culture. Slowly implementing strategies and solutions that focus on the happiness and overall well-being of your employees will gradually increase your bottom line. It’s a win, win!

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Image Courtesy: Tracy Alston

Tracy Alston, LPC, BCB, BCN (https://tracyalston.com) is a mental fitness consultant, a licensed professional counselor, board certified in bio- and neuro-feedback, a podcaster and a radio host for the Mental Fitness Matters show on WSIC radio station.

 

Tracy is the Founder and CEO of two companies located in Mooresville, N.C., New Mentality, (https://newmentalityinc.com), and Mental Edge Fitness Solutions, Inc., (https://mentaledge-fitness.com).

 

A graduate of Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C., Tracy’s passion is creating innovative strategies and solutions for improving the mental health and mental fitness of her clients, companies and the world.