How a Positive Work Environment Can Help Your Career

3 minute read

There’s so much more to your career than a company name, job title and salary. The work environment is also a big part of the experience. Your physical surroundings can impact your productivity, motivation and even overall health.

And that’s not to mention the impacts of benefits (e.g. flexibility, holidays) and workplace relationships. You’re spending a great deal of time with the same people, and this, more than anything, can impact your behaviour and attitude to work.

Here’s a breakdown of exactly what you can gain from a positive work environment. Take some time to judge whether your workplace is setting you up in the right direction.

How a Positive Work Environment Can Help Your Career

Increased productivity

Happiness at work leads to a 20% increase in productivity. When organisations ensure that their employees feel comfortable with confiding in others and receive high levels of emotional support, they generate happier, harder-working people.

The same can be said about offices; spaces with natural light, plenty of plants and breakout spaces for staff can lead to a more positive work environment and have a measurable impact on the mental health of employees. This ultimately impacts their productivity.

When people are both happy and more productive, they can actively work on growth and progression within an organisation. Remember that by investing in your happiness, the organisation is also investing in your future.

 

Flexible thinking

Here we define flexible thinking as the ability to think with an open mind. This means we can come up with multiple possible solutions to a problem, rather than being stuck in the same way of thinking.

The brain is better at problem solving when we’re feeling positive. A flexible approach can make it much easier to tackle difficult situations, reducing what was once a mountain into a molehill. It also increases the likelihood of colleagues collaborating. For you, this means more time-efficiency, developing better relationships with colleagues and turning your thoughts into actions.

In the charity sector, this sort of positive interaction is fuel for change. By surrounding yourself with collaborative people who have a shared goal of making a difference, you’re more likely to see tangible impacts from the work you’re doing.

How a Positive Work Environment Can Help Your Career

More self-awareness

When employers are making a conscious effort to ensure that employees are happy at work, it’s natural to reciprocate by becoming more self-aware and considering how our actions affect others. Self-awareness and self-management help us to understand how people are feeling so that we can respond appropriately.

Not only will this enhance your relationship with other team members, but it also adds to the current positive work environment. You’re contributing to the harmony and that’s more than anyone can ask for!

 

Confidence

Happiness at work produces a domino effect. With more self-awareness, productivity and flexible thinking enhancing our ability to meet targets (maybe even surpassing them), it’s natural to gradually feel more confident and comfortable at work.

More importantly, confidence stirs the ability to act. It means that, instead of idly waiting for decisions to be made for you, you’ll take a more proactive approach and happily be involved in the problem-solving process. Confidence allows you to lead and take complete ownership of your work. And for those who are trying to progress, you can prove that you have the skills to take on a more demanding role.

 

Happiness and a positive work environment are so beneficial and can do wonders for your career. If you want to grow, you have to be in the right environment. Make sure that you take this into consideration when you’re curious about new opportunities, searching for a job or have just landed a new role.

Thinking about changing your work environment? Take a look at all of the amazing opportunities available on CharityJob today!

 

This post was originally published in 2019 and has been updated to ensure relevance and to reflect the current job seeker experience.

 

Jade Phillips

Jade Phillips is a Marketing Specialist. A true bookworm and social media geek, you'll find her living in pockets of online communities. Unattended snacks might go missing if left around her...

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