You got this

Illustration | Adobe Stock © ikkyal

It is a simple idea, but one that bears repeating: creating a positive work environment is essential for ensuring happy and productive employees. As with many things, I recently had an experience in my personal life that shed light on the importance of this in the workplace because we all know that having positive attitudes, acknowledging accomplishments, and encouraging employees can create a more productive workplace and a positive work environment.

This past spring, my wife and I hosted Easter at our house. At the celebration, most of the adults were having engaging conversations inside while the children played outside in the backyard. My brother and I were outside supervising the children when a game of tag began, and my six-year-old nephew started to have a meltdown. I winked at my brother and asked him to follow along. I commented that my nephew was the fastest kid. My brother followed along and said, “Oh really? That’s awesome!” My nephew automatically stopped crying when he heard the comments. The next thing we knew, he was up and running in big circles around the yard as fast as he could. When he finished, he ran up to tell us he completed his run. We congratulated him on how fast he was, and it was clear he was happy and proud of his race.

Looking at the yard, I noticed toys strewn about from the kids playing. I directed the conversation to my brother again and asked him, “Did you know that Holden is a really nice kid?” My brother followed along again. I said, “He is such a nice kid. I bet that if I ask him to pick up all the toys from the yard, he will.” Sure enough, he heard us again. He took off like a bullet across the yard and started to pick up all the toys. Honestly, he went above and beyond as he wrestled other kids for their toys so he could put them away in the toy box. He even picked up the bubble wands, put them in the right color bubble bottles, and closed them neatly. When he finished, he proudly said, “I am done!” I thanked him, told him he was very helpful, and gave him a big hug.

We adults are not much different than my nephew. We all want to be recognized and given positive comments for our hard work and contributions, especially when completing complex and challenging projects. Reminding employees about their positive qualities encourages them to use their skills to be more creative and productive and can change a negative experience into a positive one. Sometimes people need to be told, “You got this!” because when employees are happy, they are more motivated to complete tasks and collaborate with their coworkers.

Here are some things I’ve found helpful when implementing this type of positive reinforcement:

• If the occasion is right, consider recognizing employees in front of other people. While private conversations are great, being open about recognitions can motivate the employee and others on the team.
• Recognize your employees in a timely manner. It is important that recognition occurs soon after their good performance takes place as it reinforces the positive behaviors.
• Do not just say a quick thank you. Say it like you mean it. Give specific examples of how well something was done. This informs the individual what behaviors to repeat in the future.
• As managers, we can sometimes focus on only pointing out the areas that need improvement. Pointing out their efforts is as important. Make an effort to spend quality time and articulate how the employee’s contributions are making a positive impact. The time spent communicating with your employees will boost their morale, and the meaningful connections you make with them will do wonders in creating a positive work environment.
• It is easy to get wrapped up in busy schedules and forget to spend time acknowledging people’s contributions. I am guilty of this and have found that scheduling time to connect with employees helps keep it on the top of my mind. Build time into your calendar to provide feedback and recognitions.
• Put reminders on your calendar
• Acknowledge people at the beginning of meetings instead of at the end.
• “See Something, Say Something” When someone does anything good, acknowledge it as soon as possible
• Give shout-outs
• Add appreciative words to emails to change the tone of emails
• At the end of the day, tell someone how you appreciated something they did that day

Recently, I complimented an employee for completing his project. I made him aware that his work was already making a positive impact on the organization. He happily said, “You are welcome, and thank you for the opportunity.” He also said he was working on adding bells and whistles to his project to make it even better. When employees feel valued, they are more likely to perform to their full potential instead of spending energy on feeling unappreciated. And when they are reminded of their skills and positive qualities, they are more likely to take responsibility and give better results.

Creating a positive work environment is key to ensuring the happiness and productivity of your staff. By very intentionally giving positive feedback and praise to your employees, you create connections that will improve their job satisfaction and benefit the company as a whole. Recognition is key to employee and company growth. Before any leader can move mountains, they need to have a team of loyal and committed team players.