How to create a supportive, conductive

and productive work environment

For an employee to be productive he has to be satisfied and happy at his work

place. An apt work environment gives a boost to employee morale and inspires

him to be focused and dedicated. A suitable work environment encompasses all

the people, place and situations that an employee comes across in his daily work

schedule. A happy mind and soul is more productive and initiates a zeal to

perform. So it becomes the prime responsibility of the organization and the

management team to provide the employees with a compatible, comfortable and

supportive work environment for best results. Success is all about team work and

the team comprises of different individuals with independent approach. Training

them for a common task is easy but aligning their efforts for the achievement of a

common goal is a big challenge. Some of the factors important in creating a

supportive, conductive and productive work environment are as stated below.

Trust Factor: It is very important for the management and the employees to

share a trust worthy relationship. This helps in a long lasting and fruitful

association. There should be an alignment of goals for both of them to put

in efficient efforts to accomplish them. Transparency is one key factor in

this regard. There should be clarity in the expectations from both the ends

to avoid friction. An idea from an individual in the team should always been

highlighted and credited if worthy. It would increase the commitment level

of the employees and they would be more focused and involved in their

designated tasks.

Freedom of expression: This is the most important aspect of a healthy work

culture as every employee is an individual with independent opinion and

should have the freedom to express it within limitations. Especially with

matters related to a particular task or project it is always good to have

ideas and feedbacks from all the members in the team and then come to a

conclusion rather than imposing an idea on all of them. It not only boosts

up the confidence level of the employees but also encourages them to be

more focused and dedicated to their work and contributes more. The more

the contributors are the better the idea would be. And if the trend follows

the contributors might increase with time contributing not only with their

efforts but also with their ideas.

Rewards and Recognition: An effort if not recognized can be the biggest

factor for employee dissatisfaction. Acknowledging and rewarding the

efforts not only boosts the confidence of the employee concerned but also

inspires others to put in more efforts to achieve their targets and goals. It is

also an important indicator of management’s awareness of their

employee’s contribution to the organizations growth. It makes the

employees feel that they are being observed, guided and also rewarded for

their effective efforts. Rewarding and recognizing the talent initiates a

healthy and productive work culture as the employee puts his best efforts

as he know he is one of the key contributors and would be rewarded and

recognized for his efforts.

Empathy: There is an age old saying “Treat your employees as you want to

be treated” It is very important for the management to be empathetic

towards its employees. They should not only be treated as just employees

but as individuals with independent approach. If the management does not

involve and connect with its employees at a personal level to some extent,

they might lose out on some good performers in the long run. There are

times when an employee wants to be heard and considered for his issues

either personal or professional. Management should never be negligent

towards such situations as it might discourage the other employees and

they might eventually lose their trust and commitment towards the

organization.

Grievance handling and Councelling: There should be a proper team to

address and handle the employee grievances. The employees should be

well aware of their rights and well informed about the channels to address

their concerns. Any work environment cannot be perfect in all aspects but

it has to be healthy in terms of work culture and the behavior of the

management and employees towards each other and among themselves.

Proper counselling sessions can help the employees map and understand

their career path in the company and also boost a trustworthy and healthy

work environment.