My work environment is immensely important to me, and I have been so fortunate as to have found my place here at Clear Ideas. As I scroll through social media, I’m always seeing memes like these on Facebook (credit to https://www.facebook.com/9to5life/ )
And I think to myself, I can’t believe I used to feel like this at previous jobs. And now I #CantRelate because even on the most stressful days, I have not once dreaded going to the office. And it’s almost entirely because I’m part of an incredible, supportive team who always have each others backs. A tight deadline coming up? “What can I do to help you?” A big mailing to get done before the weekend? “Let’s set everyone up in the conference room and get it done!” An extra busy day? “Here, I’ll grab the phones for a while and I’ll ask Laura to help with customers at the front.”
But creating a positive work space isn't effortless.
“Having a positive work environment is SO important! Let’s face it, most of us spend a lot of the day at our job. But having a positive work environment might not be as straightforward as one would initially think. A positive work environment does not just happen by everyone starting out the day with a smile and hoping for the best.” says Gloria Jerome, Business and Operations Manager here at CI. "It starts with leadership."
She says she has to ask herself "Are expectations clear? Do I have structure in place for the work to be done? Am I making sure everyone is pulling their weight and respectful of each other? Do I listen to suggestions and concerns from team members? Do I tackle the day with positivity?" Employees have a role too. Think "Do I know what is expected of me? Do I know the structure and work within it? Am I respectful of others? Do I express frustrations in a healthy way and help find solutions? Do I tackle the day with positivity?" Gloria goes on to say "'Positive environment' is a great term and certainly the goal, but when people are involved, it can get just a little more complicated. We ALL have different personalities, goals, dreams, struggles, etc. That’s when grace and camaraderie come in to play. We can try our best to hit every bullet (whether leader or employee), but we know we are not perfect. But if we can look past the personalities and realize how special each one of the team members are, it becomes easier to let go of any turmoil and really cheer, not only for the team, but for each person on it."
So, my beloved readers, do yourself a favor and keep searching for where you belong. And if you’re lucky enough to have already found your place, then take a moment to appreciate the positive moments you've experienced, and thank your boss ;)