How to Create Positive Behavior Change for a Better Work Environment

Did you know that the effects of negativity on a workplace include lackluster performance, reduced energy levels, depressive feelings, difficulty overcoming obstacles, poor customer engagement, and more?

If you've recently noticed that your work environment is negative, maybe you feel a bit more stressed than usual. Fortunately, it's possible to create positive change that makes your work environment better.

In this guide, we'll go over how you can engage your employees with the result of creating positive change. Finally, your employees can be more positive and your workplace can be transformed. To learn more, read on.

Lead by Example

One of the things you can do to create positive change in your workplace is to lead by example. Employees will imitate the behavior of their leaders, so if you aren't exhibiting positive habits at the workplace, it's unlikely your employees will.

Do you have any unhealthy habits that have been impacting your performance at work? Maybe you aren't taking enough breaks throughout the day. Or maybe you're working at home after the workday has technically ended. 

If you are, your employees might feel like they should be doing the same. Over time, this continued overworking can lead to resentment and burnout.

Stop engaging in these bad habits if you have been. Understanding the need for work-life balance when working remote is the first step. Start making your habits more positive, and soon your employees will likely do the same. 

Communicate Effectively

In addition to setting a positive example, you should communicate effectively with your employees about the positive behavior you want to have in the workplace. Note that there's no need to do this in a company-wide meeting where the focus is on broader corporate objectives. 

Instead, you can meet with your employees one-on-one in a performance review style or more casually as an open dialog discussion. 

When you speak with them, be open to discovering if they're struggling with work-related tasks, habits, or relationships. Be open to hearing about any personal concerns or situations that may be impacting their behaviors at work.  Work together to find out how you can best help them in implementing positive behavior change at work. Learn the best ways to implement a stress management program to counter the long-term effects of burnout. 

In addition to talking openly with your employees, it's smart to have behavior expectations documented. You can do this by putting them in the employee handbook.

Recognize and Reward

If you notice that an employee has exhibited a positive behavior change, recognize this change and reward it. When the other members of their team see that this has occurred, they'll be more incentivized to engage in positive behavior, too.

Rewarding positive behavior will reinforce your message that you want your employees to engage in it. When you reward someone for even a small positive behavior change, this will make your message even more powerful. Incentives don't need to be grand and can often be offered to employees while remaining on budget. 

Keep in mind that you should recognize an employee working hard to reach their positive behavior change goals. This will likely motivate them to get there eventually.

Create Collective Goals

If you work together as a team in regard to positive behavior change, reaching your goals will be more likely to be achievable. For example, after you've communicated with your team openly about your goals, you can have a brainstorming session as a group.

This way, as a team, you'll be able to set goals that are realistic. If everyone's working on goals that are similar, they can support each other as they do. This will mean that they'll be more likely to reach their goals sooner.

Remember that it's important to regularly check on how your employees are doing as they work toward their goals. To do this, you can have regular training sessions or personal development meetings where you see how your employees are doing.

If you provide your employees with help and support as they work toward their goals, they'll appreciate this.

Make Your Work Environment Comfortable

By making your office a space that's productive and comfortable, your employees will feel comfortable and empowered. A space like this includes everything from temperature-regulated interiors to ergonomic furniture.

Computer screens that are well-positioned, as well as adjustable standing desks, can have positive benefits. In addition to alleviating pain, they can positively impact the well-being of your employees. 

In a space like this, your employees will be more likely to exhibit healthy behavior and align health and safety with ergonomics and wellness. 

Facilitate Learning Opportunities

When a company prioritizes professional development, employees thrive. This allows them not only to improve in their own roles but to feel like they'll have greater opportunities later on as they move forward in their careers.

To facilitate learning opportunities, let your employees know about courses they can take to improve their work. If you offer free training, workshops, or pay for courses or certifications, this can go a long way.

Additionally, don't forget to provide informal knowledge and learning opportunities.

Hire the Right People

The personality and values of the people in your workplace will drive their workplace behavior. For this reason, when you're recruiting, you should seek out candidates who have values that mirror your business's values.

It can be a challenge, of course, to get the best people to work for you. However, if you show that you care about your employees' well-being and health, you'll be more likely to hire the best people.

For example, if you utilize wellness technology or have a corporate wellness program, they'll likely be more interested in joining your team.

Want Help Implementing Positive Change?

Now that you've learned about how to engage with your employees to create positive change in the workplace, you might want help doing this. In this case, you should look no further than CoreHealth's behavior change programs. These self-paced, behavioral health micro-learning programs promote resiliency, mindfulness, nutrition, physical activity, improved mental health, financial well-being, and productivity. Participants work their way through multiple sessions, completing a challenge and a quiz after each one.

We're experts when it comes to corporate wellness and positive behavior change. We offer a holistic health engagement and outcomes technology solution. To learn more about our behavior changed focussed wellness programs, connect with our team.

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