6 Ways to Implement Climate Change in the Workplace

 

The term “climate change” often evokes images of melting ice caps and sad, drifting polar bears. It is a decidedly negative thing. But there is one often overlooked setting in which climate change can have tremendously positive outcomes— the workplace.

The American workplace has an engagement problem, as evidenced by such research as Gallup’s recent “State of the American Workplace” report, which asserts that 70 percent of U.S. employees are not meeting their full potential. Much of this underperformance can be attributed to managers’ mishandling of office climate.

The American workplace has an engagement problem

Effective managers know how to coach employees so that they are productive, challenged, and happy at work. Still, most workers have at some point, experienced a boss who has yet to master this formula. As a consequence, the work climate devolves into a negative environment, marked by employees who have low engagement and are “just getting by.”

Forum’s research has shown that there are six ways that managers can work to change workplace climate for the better.

1. Commitment – A good manager will make sure that the team’s goals, accomplishments, and problems are discussed on a regular basis. Proactive discussions like this will enable the team to feel united, learn from each other’s mistakes, and work towards common goals.
2. Recognition – Offering positive feedback is a critical management practice. Doling out regular praise is a great motivator for the team: if a job is done well, they know that their good work will be acknowledged.
3. Clarity – A manager should clearly define the organization’s goals and expectations for the team. Employees who are left to figure it out on their own will tire quickly, which leads to disengagement.
4. Standards – A manager who sets appropriate standards will help to create a challenging and fun climate at work. The goal is to set standards not so high that they’ll be continually out of reach and also not so easy that they’ll be continually met.
5. Teamwork –Fostering a climate of teamwork and collaboration will go a long way in creating and maintaining a positive working environment. A manager should emphasize to the team that they’re working toward one common goal in order to prevent team members from competing with each other.
6. Responsibility – A manager should have enough confidence in their team to be able to entrust employees with responsibility. Doing so will empower the team and enable managers to focus their energy on priority tasks such as coaching.

Effective managers know how to coach employees so that they are productive, challenged, and happy at work.

Before this blueprint is put into action, managers should assess the current climate by getting feedback from employees around motivation and management style. Once the current engagement temperature is tested, mangers can develop a course of action, guided by these tips, to get on track and facilitate a stellar workplace climate.

 

 

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