Find out whether your office or workplace is failing at the 8 common mistakes that stifle productivity. More importantly, find out how to fix them for a successful working environment.
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8 Mistakes To Avoid For A Successful Working Environment
1. Eight Mistakes to Avoid
When Creating a Successful
Working Environment
2. Visit our website at: www.expressvending.co.uk
Eight Mistakes to Avoid When Creating
a Successful Working Environment
Ensuring that your workplace is a happy one is key to
maintaining an efficient working environment. There is a
range of ways to make sure that you and your employees
are happy in their place of work, whether you work in a
small office building or a large, multi-site environment.
Conversely, there are several factors which can contribute
to a hostile work atmosphere, and it goes without saying
that these should be avoided at all costs.
This guide will detail some of the most common and
harmful errors that managers and CEOs can commit when
running a work environment, with the aim of helping you
avoid them yourself and allowing you and your employees
to enjoy the workplace as they should. Implementing
these rules and removing any detrimental elements may
not be an immediate fix; it may take a certain amount of
time to come up with different processes, but once they
are integrated within your business then you will start to
see positive results.
Written by Andrew Jones
For more information call: 0800 533 5841 or email: info@expressvending.co.uk
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Eight Things to Avoid When Creating a Successful Working Environment
3. Eight Things to Avoid When Creating a Successful Working Environment Visit our website at: www.expressvending.co.uk
1. Cliques
2. Lack of Reward
TOP TIPS While it is natural for friendships among some people to be
closer than among others, particularly amongst those who work
in close proximity to one another, cliques can be detrimental to
the morale of those who aren’t involved in them. If employees
are feeling excluded from social activities or groups, this can
have a negative effect on their work and their self-esteem. Try
and ensure regular social events for the entire workforce to help
encourage staff to integrate with people they may not usually
talk to.
If there is a friendly, positive atmosphere in and around your
work environment then employees’ attitudes to work can be
hugely increased – they will enjoy coming into work, rather than
dreading it because they do not feel included by their peers.
Rewarding outstanding work from employees is important
if they are to feel valued and recognised as a part of your
company. If they see that less hard-working employees are
being rewarded with promotions or bonuses, for example, whilst
they are not receiving any recognition for their work, this can
make them feel undervalued and have a detrimental effect on
their motivation, too.
By making your employees aware that hard work will be
rewarded, whatever the incentive may be, you can encourage
them to push themselves and these incentives will work wonders
for their morale.
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TOP TIPS
Encourage social activities involving the entire
workplace
Arrange seating so staff can integrate with
people from other departments
Include communal areas in the workplace
(pool table, breakout rooms, etc.)
Don’t situate an entire friendship group
together, spread them out across the office
Don’t show favouritism to one group of people
over another, the last thing employees want to
see is their boss favouring certain people
Don’t allow certain groups to have monopoly
over break rooms, games tables, etc.
Make employees aware of incentives
available to them
Set realistic targets to achieve said incentives
Ensure equal incentives for all departments,
make sure staff know they’re all valued
equally
Don’t ignore even the smallest achievements
– any form of progress is good
Don’t renege on incentives after targets
have been reached
Don’t reward
employees with
incentives that
don’t match
the scale
of their
achievement
Written by Andrew Jones
For more information call: 0800 533 5841 or email: info@expressvending.co.uk
4. 3. Untidy, Unattractive
Environment
You know how it feels to come home to a cluttered, messy house,
and walking into an office that is also untidy can have the same
depressing effect on employees, too. Look around your workplace
– are there any empty boxes or stacks of unorganised paperwork
near desks or on tables? All of these things make your office seem
smaller, cramped and uncared for. The effect it has on mentality
may not be immediately noticeable, but constantly coming into
work to be greeted with an untidy environment can wear you
down and have a subconscious effect on your mood and attitude.
As well as the general tidiness and cleanliness of your workplace,
the way it looks can also affect the way your employees work.
By having an attractive, well designed workplace you can create
a welcoming, refreshing environment that not only is a pleasure
to work in, but can also help boost creativity, productivity and
provide a friendly, upbeat atmosphere.
4. Lack of Communication
This goes for everyone at all levels of employment in your
workplace, from the part-time staff to the CEO of the company.
Communication is key to the smooth and efficient running of
any work environment – a lack of communication can slow
down processes and create unnecessary work for people. It
is beneficial for employees to feel like they can talk to their
colleagues and superiors about anything – it helps them feel
valued as a member of the team, whether it’s about a personal
issue or a work-related discussion.
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TOP TIPS
Use design that creates a warm, friendly
environment
Avoid stacking cardboard boxes, or any
unused equipment around the office
Regular desk-cleaning should be carried out
by employees
Don’t clutter desks with too much equipment
Don’t place desks or workstations too close
together
Don’t leave rubbish collection/disposal to one
person – create a rota
TOP TIPS
Encourage communication through all levels
of the workplace
Undertake surveys and polls to gauge
employee morale and attitude
Be pro-active about employees’ concerns –
don’t just listen and take no action
Don’t assume all employees are happy all
the time
Don’t ignore signs of potential rifts or
problems developing
Don’t treat concerns, however small, as if
they are trivial
By not listening to any concerns raised by colleagues or
employees, negative tensions and attitudes can build up
as staff may feel like their opinions do not matter in the
workplace. This can raise disquiet amongst colleagues who
feel like they are being ignored, and having several unhappy
members of a team can lead to a drastic effect on work rate,
quality of work and atmosphere.
The break-out areas at Trafficmaster are spacious, uncluttered and
attractive. Fully stocked machines ensure that all staff are able to
choose from a range of snacks and hot & cold drinks and food.
For more information call: 0800 533 5841 or email: info@expressvending.co.uk
Visit our website at: www.expressvending.co.uk
Written by Andrew Jones
5. Eight Things to Avoid When Creating a Successful Working Environment Visit our website at: www.expressvending.co.uk
5. Too Much Pressure
It goes without saying that every business wants to be the best
they can be, but there are ways to achieve this and instil this ethos
in your staff without putting them under undue pressure. Wanting
staff to meet certain standards is natural, but if they are living in
fear of what will happen if they don’t meet those standards then
their work environment will not be a very comfortable one.
It is important to ensure that employees have the right balance
between a good work ethic and being comfortable in their job.
Set targets for staff, motivate them, but don’t do so by giving
them ultimatums or warnings over what will happen if they don’t
reach your targets. If your employees are worrying about work
even when they’re not at work, then there is a definite problem
and it shows that the work environment is creating undue stress
for your employees.
6. Lack of
Personal touch
No matter where you work or what your role is within your
company, feeling valued as a person as well as an employee is
vital for creating a friendly, communal atmosphere. If you treat
your staff as nothing but workers, there to do their jobs and
get results for the company and nothing else, it is very unlikely
that they will be full of enthusiasm for their work. If you treat
your employees like people, they will feel more inclined to push
themselves and exceed expectations.
Treating employees like you would expect to be treated yourself
can yield such an improvement in all aspects of your workplace,
from the attitudes and confidence of your staff to the general
atmosphere during a working day.
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TOP TIPS
Set realistic targets
Encourage staff if you see them struggling
Ensure employees are aware of the importance
of a manageable workload
Don’t set ultimatums
Don’t set targets that require excessive work
(skipping breaks, etc.)
Don’t constantly check if employees are on
track for targets – they will feel pressured
TOP TIPS
Talk to your employees about subjects
other than work
Ensure a sense of equality – employees
should feel like they can chat to those in
higher roles than them
Walk round the office or work environment
regularly and speak to your employees
Don’t limit communications with staff to
emails or phone calls where possible
Don’t keep yourself in your own office –
this can be off-putting to employees who
want to speak to you
Don’t create an overbearing sense of
hierarchy within the workplace –
although there is a structure, it
can become excessive
Written by Andrew Jones
For more information call: 0800 533 5841 or email: info@expressvending.co.uk
6. Eight Things to Avoid When Creating a Successful Working Environment
Visit our website at: www.expressvending.co.uk
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7. Not Leading
by Example
Whether you are the owner, a manager or a
team leader in a company, it is important that
you set the right example to those in your
workplace, whether they have similar or different
roles to yourself. If you expect them to work
hard and reach targets or deadlines then it is
important you show that you are working hard
as well. If they feel like their boss isn’t pulling
his or her weight then they may feel a sense of
inequality – if their manager or team leader isn’t
working hard, why should they?
Not only does a solid, company-wide work
ethic boost productivity and yield results, it
also makes for a happy workplace. If everyone
shares the same positive attitude it will become
noticeable in your environment – there will
be a buzz about the place and a sense of
achievement will be apparent with the results
that follow.
TOP TIPS
Show yourself to be working hard without
boasting
Keep employees up to date with progress and
future meetings you are attending
Inform employees of your own targets – this
will allow them to see the progress you make
Don’t keep employees in the dark about
company progress
Don’t show double standards with regards to
reaching targets
Don’t brush your own weaknesses under the
carpet - show yourself to be working hard
to improve on anything that needs to be
improved on
Written by Andrew Jones
For more information call: 0800 533 5841 or email: info@expressvending.co.uk
7. Eight Things to Avoid When Creating a Successful Working Environment
Visit our website at: www.expressvending.co.uk
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8. Refreshments &
Leisure Time
In order to be as comfortable as possible at work,
employees must have the necessary facilities for
refreshments available to them – drinking water,
coffee machines and snack machines are all
important to ensure that there is food and drink
available easily, should they need it. As well as
helping employees feel more comfortable, being
refreshed and relaxed can help boost productivity
as well. If staff are dehydrated or uncomfortably
hungry, their concentration could suffer and their
work output could decrease.
TOP TIPS
Utilise breakout areas that contain a
mixture of refreshments, entertainment
and comfort
Ensure there are a variety of refreshments
(hot drinks, cold drinks, snacks, etc.)
Allow each employee regular, uninterrupted
breaks each day to relax
Don’t underestimate importance of
breakout rooms and leisure time
Don’t cut corners on providing adequate
facilities in break rooms and leisure areas
Don’t place unreasonable restrictions on
break/lunch lengths
The installation at Wayside BMW-Mini contains a variety
of hot drinks, cold drinks, hot & cold food and snacks.
Break areas where people can relax at lunch times or break
times are very important – these breaks can allow staff to
disconnect from their work for a short time, giving their
minds a rest and allowing them to return to their work
refreshed and revitalised.
If you want to get the best out of your business, then your
working environment has to be one that is beneficial to all
those who use it. The errors and misgivings that are listed
above are common throughout all types of workplaces, and
the effect that these mistakes can have on employee morale
and performance should not be underestimated. Talk to
your staff – finding out what they like about their workplace
and things that they feel can be improved on will help you
make any necessary changes to bring your work environment
up to standard. A happy workplace is a productive one,
and by creating a workplace that staff enjoy being in, both
employees and the business itself can reap the rewards.
Written by Andrew Jones
For more information call: 0800 533 5841 or email: info@expressvending.co.uk
8. Eight Things to Avoid When Creating a Successful Working Environment
Visit our website at: www.expressvending.co.uk
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CONTACT
Want to find out more?
Established in 1992, Express Vending are
specialists in the supply, installation and
maintenance of state-of-the-art vending
solutions for organisations of all sizes and
functions. We can tailor our service to
suit your requirements: whether you need
a snack machine or a vending machine
that dispenses hot drinks, our range of
machines plus our expert team means we
have everything you need. We have worked
with a range of companies from Amazon
to The Open University, and our personal,
professional and committed service means
that 98% of our customers choose to
extend their contracts with us.
If you would like to know how to improve
your workplace or for more information
about Express Vending as a company, get
in touch today via phone, email or the
contact form on our website and we’ll be
happy to help.
Telephone: 0800 533 5841
info@expressvending.co.uk
www.expressvending.co.uk
Written by Andrew Jones
For more information call: 0800 533 5841 or email: info@expressvending.co.uk