Happy at work?
Emotional safety is key to a happier and more productive working environment.
Creating a safe working environment isn’t just about the physical practicalities. Successful organisations understand that the emotional safety of their people is equally as important to help them thrive.
Emotional safety is a common understanding that you won’t be reprimanded or humiliated for speaking up. When people feel comfortable to communicate openly without being judged they freely share their thoughts and ideas, which benefit the organisation on many levels.
In an environment where value is placed on the sharing of ideas, creativity and innovation, people will be far less likely to feel fearful about their jobs.
This begins to create a culture of wellbeing in which people are more likely to be motivated to perform at their very best for the organisation.
The dynamics of our workplaces are changing for the better as people’s expectations are increasingly driven by fundamental needs, including a clear identity, a sense of belonging, a desire for meaningful work that provides purpose and fulfilment, and the opportunity to develop and grow within the organisation.
Exceptional leaders recognise the importance of these needs and invest time nurturing their people, not only as employees, but also as individuals.
CORE EMOTIONAL NEEDS
- To feel valued – feeling valued is linked to better physical and mental health. It gives people confidence and a sense of stability, leading to greater levels of innovation, engagement, and job satisfaction.
- To be trusted – trust strengthens relationships and allows people to work together, providing a sense of belonging and safety.
- To have a purpose – people need to feel that the company has a worthwhile purpose and understand how their daily work contributes to this.
- To feel supported – especially when they are experiencing their most challenging moments.
- The opportunity for development – being encouraged to continually learn, to take on bigger challenges and achieve more than they think they can.
- To be respected – and treated fairly with dignity, courtesy, and kindness.
- To be heard – exceptional leaders listen to the needs of their people, take their concerns seriously and act to help wherever possible.
- To feel appreciated – Praise is a positive experience that makes people feel good about themselves. It can help improve performance, morale, motivation, and engagement and renew their commitment to their organisation.
When our emotional needs are not being met and nurtured, we become disconnected and struggle to be motivated or excited by our work.
Signs of an Unhappy Workplace
These symptoms of low morale can drastically affect the overall success of an organisation.
- HIGH STAFF TURNOVER
- REDUCED PRODUCTIVITY
- STRESS-RELATED ABSENCES
- COMPLAINTS & CONFLICT
Encouragingly, we are seeing more organisations placing an emphasis on emotional safety at work, with 30 per cent of companies now having a board director responsible for wellbeing and a further 20 per cent having a senior leader dedicated to the role.
Research shows that organisations with a strong focus on employee wellbeing and emotional safety are likely to experience increased productivity, higher retention levels, fewer days absenteeism and a happier, more productive team.
Those who are doing this well are seeing stronger growth and benefits to their performance with sustainable and predictable results at least 20 per cent higher year on year.
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The Lean Orange helps clients to improve overall business performance by creating safe, positive working environments and nurturing a happy and motivated workforce. Find out more
