This week we're pondering something very close to our hearts at Angel Delivery - team and culture.

At Angel, one of our values is "You're part of the whānau"; we treat everyone in our team, wider team (like cleaners and couriers), customers, and suppliers as one big family. And you look after family!

This is something that flows very naturally for us at Angel Delivery, but we thought we'd delve into a little research on the benefits of creating a positive work environment...

Why invest in a positive working environment?

As a business, building a great team of employees is invaluable. Employees want to feel cared for, appreciated, and recognised for their hard work. As a company leader, you can instigate strategies to cultivate an environment and company culture that shows your team you care for them as individuals.

There are many benefits to showing your employees you care and to creating a positive working environment. Appreciated employees can improve company morale, motivation, and productivity in your business. It will help improve job satisfaction and retention, a positive and healthy atmosphere, a good work ethic, and customer service. However, creating this environment doesn’t just benefit employees. It will benefit company leaders and the company itself by building a loyal, hard-working team.

We have put together a list of ideas and strategies team leaders and managers can take to cultivate a positive working environment for employees and to show them you really care:

Relate to them

Take the time to talk with your employees when you sense a problem. Tell them about a similar situation you have been through and what you did to overcome it. Reminding your employees that you are not on a pedestal, and that you are on the same level by sharing your vulnerabilities and faults, is important in leadership. It will help them feel comfortable to come to you with problems in the future, if need be, and will help them find solutions.

Acknowledge personal life events

Employees will probably come across personal life events where they will need to take time off. Whether that be for sickness, maternity leave, or bereavement leave. Be sure to acknowledge these events with care and consideration.

When 'life' happens to your team, you could send them a gift such as an Angel Delivery package. Angel Delivery packages are a practical gift and can ease any stress in their lives when most in need. You can also include a gift card, a great way to send them a lovely message of support. A gift like this is more personal than a traditional bouquet of flowers, and shows you've really thought about how to look after them best during a hard time.

Show your trust

No one likes a micro-manager (right?!). Demonstrate you trust your team by allowing them the space to complete their projects without overseeing their progress all the time. You could also involve them in decision making where possible to help build even more trust and confidence.

Plan Social Activities

Team building is important for a positive working environment. You could host team lunches, dinner outings, or happy hour on Fridays. You could also organise activities such as team ice breaker games, fun competitions, or holiday parties. This is a great way for the team to get to know each other and to relax outside of work responsibilities.

Recognise Hard Work and Achievements

A simple compliment or praise goes a long way. Or email the team acknowledging an individual’s or team’s hard work and accomplishments. Celebrating achievements can encourage employees to take pride in their work and help them feel appreciated.

Get to know them

Ask your employee about their family, or about the trip they just went on. What are their hobbies or interests outside of work? It’s important your employees know you value them as individuals and don’t view them as just worker bees.

References: 

Hall, J. (2014). 11 Simple Ways To Show Your Employees You Care. Retrieved from: https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnhall/2014/03/10/11-simple-ways-to-show-your-employees-you-care/?sh=3b53728b450e 

Indeed Editorial Team. (2021). 12 Tips for Taking Care of Your Employees. Retrieved from: https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/taking-care-of-your-employees