Entrepreneurship & BM CHAPTER: SIX Page # 59
Work-EnvironmEnt and Plant Utility
Topics:
o Working environment
o Importance of good work environment
o Signs of a bad work environment
WORKING ENVIRONMENT
Working environment is a broad term and means all your surroundings when working.
Your physical working environment is, for example, your work tools as well as air, noise
and light. But your working environment also includes the psychological aspects of how
your work is organised and your wellbeing at work.
Aside from the job scope itself, one factor that significantly influences how employees
feel about work is the environment. By work environment, I mean everything that
forms part of employees’ involvement with the work itself, such as the relationship with
co-workers and supervisors, organizational culture, room for personal development, etc.
A positive work environment makes employees feel good about coming to work, and
this provides the motivation to sustain them throughout the day.
The work environment can involve the social interactions at the workplace, including
interactions with peers, subordinates, and managers. Generally, and within limits,
employees are entitled to a work environment that is free from harassment.
The term work environment can also be associated with the physical condition of the
building. Healthy work environments will be free from problems associated with sick
building syndrome, which is often due to poor ventilation or off-gassing of chemicals
used during construction. The accumulation of molds and mildew may also lead to sick
building syndrome.
IMPORTANCE OF GOOD WORK ENVIRONMENT
Here are ten key reasons why creating a workplace and an office environment that
people love is critical for your business:
1. Happiness has a multiplying effect: Happiness is contagious and, when
encouraged, can spread throughout an entire company. Employees who take
joy in their work make excellent role models for their fellow workers and
encourage them to also take joy in their work.
2. Happy employees are successful employees: Employees who genuinely enjoy
their work are more productive, happier, and more successful. This increases self-
confidence and inspires greater performance and greater success for both
employee and employer.
3. Happy employees have the right attitude: Unhappy employees have a negative
attitude that can permeate their work and stifle job performance and creativity.
Happy employees, on the other hand, have a positive can-do attitude that
allows them to succeed.
4. Reducing stress increases productivity: Stressed-out employees are distracted
employees. This can have a devastating effect on productivity. Eliminating stress
and worry can lead to an instant productivity boost.
5. A positive work environment encourages risk-taking: Business is not about playing
it safe. Business is about taking the right risk for the right rewards. Happy
employees are more likely to take calculated risks, while unhappy employees are
more likely to play it safe.
6. Happy employees support each other: Positive, fully engaged employees are
more willing to support fellow workers and to provide positive support and
Prof. Dr. Shaikh Shamsul Arafin, skarafin@[Link]
Entrepreneurship & BM CHAPTER: SIX Page # 60
Work-EnvironmEnt and Plant Utility
encouragement for group projects. And happy employees are more likely to ask
for support if it is needed.
7. Happy employees are not afraid to make mistakes: A supportive work
environment encourages your team to learn from their mistakes rather than fear
them. Mistakes can be a powerful learning tool that can lead to unforeseen
success. Workers who are afraid to make mistakes will miss important learning
opportunities.
8. Leaders lead by example: Managers who take real joy in their jobs - and
encourage their workers to enjoy their work - inspire confidence, dedication and
loyalty. Leaders who set positive examples are a critical component of the
success of any business.
9. Happiness inspires creativity: Innovation is the lifeblood of any business, and
happy employees are inspired, creative employees who will create the solutions
your business needs to succeed.
10. People like to work with happy people: Finding joy in your work can yield
enormous benefits by improving relationships between both employees and
employer. Happy workers are more willing to work together for the common
good, more likely to encourage company loyalty, and more like to encourage
the strong team building that is vital to your company's success.
Creating a work environment that is fun and happy is not easy. The more you try the
bigger dividends it will pay.
SIGNS OF A BAD WORK ENVIRONMENT
You know that you need to foster a positive work environment, and we have many
articles about how you can do this. Encourage well being, promote engagement, give
your employees a clear path to success, provide training opportunities, and give them
clear role definition – these are just a few of many possible strategies. But how can you
tell if you have a negative work environment in the first place?
Check out these 4 signs that you have a bad work environment – and simple ways to fix
them.
1. No one is interacting at work: While you want your employees to be busy working,
you don’t want it to be so silent that you never hear anyone laugh or have a
social chat. A lack of social interaction could be a real sign that no one is happy
in their workplace. To fix this, start organising team building events and social
activities.
2. A high turnover rate: You know that this one is a dangerous sign – if your top
performers are leaving to work for your competition, something is rotten in your
organisation. They have no loyalty to you, and you need to ask yourself why. Get
them on board with your company’s goals.
3. Employees have no faith in your product: It doesn’t matter what industry you are
in, your employees should have faith in your product. At the heart of every
business is a product, and your employees need to believe in what they are
selling. If they don’t have a firm loyalty to your brand, they are unlikely to be
happy working with you and doing their best work.
4. Wishy washy management: Your employees need to feel that they are in good
hands, and they need to trust in the management that controls them. When
management are unclear on their communications, disagree with one another,
or fail to provide clear expectations, morale is destined to be low. Ensure that you
give your employees clear and fair role definition, and regular feedback to stay
on track.
Prof. Dr. Shaikh Shamsul Arafin, skarafin@[Link]
