066 | The 6 Characteristics of a Healthy Work Environment - Part 1

Let’s discuss a healthy workplace environment. Let’s flip the coin and look at the positive today.

These 6 characteristics were developed through lived experience and my conversations with others.

If even one of these areas is out of whack, you’ll notice something isn’t quite right.

1. Systems

What systems do you have in place to ensure a healthy work environment?

Having a healthy work environment is not all about how people feel. It’s about the structures you put in place to support them to do their jobs properly.

Think about your:

• Interviews
• Onboarding
• Job descriptions
• Probation periods
• Policies and Procedures (SOP’s)
• Performance management
• Resignation process and period (how are people treated during these periods)
• Communication methods
• Client management
• Staff management (HR)

Are these updated regularly or are they old and outdated, so no one uses them?

Systems form the foundation of any business, no matter how big or how small. Without effective and efficient systems, you are setting yourself and your employees up for failure.

Activity: Audit your systems, decide what needs updating! The free diagnostic tool will also give you suggestions on what you can do to make improvements.

2. Expectations

What are the expectations of employees, leadership team, heads of departments, the CEO, etc? Are there any?

How is this communicated? When is it communicated? How often is it communicated?

Are staff expected to stay up to date with expectations with no communication from anyone?

How are staff expected to give their best, if they don’t know what is expected of them?

Again, you are setting your employees up for failure if you fail to communicate.

Suggestions:

• Verbal and in writing, why because of various learning styles. Some people learn or understand better with verbal, some with writing, some need both.
• If you’ve had a conversation with someone, follow it up with an email, always! Get them to reply back to say they acknowledge it.

3. Staff Performance

How are staff performance measured? Is it measured at all?

Are there annual performance reviews and what is this measured against?

Are staff given the opportunity to work towards an annual goal that they have chosen, something that will be motivating to them to want to achieve.

Are they rewarded for exceptional performance?

Here we’re looking at the positive and the constructive or even the negative.

What happens to a staff member if they stay performing poorly, or even have a behavioural problem?

What the processes (they systems!) that you have in place to manage this.

Or, will you also fall into the category where there is no process and the employee, gets away with their behaviour and makes it into a toxic workplace for everyone else

If staff performance isn’t managed, then the performance, will essentially manage the business.

You are only as strong as your weakest link! So, what are you doing about that weakest link?

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