3 Great Ways to Shake Up the Workplace

200564246-002Let’s face it, after feeling the impact of the recession, from salary freezes to paycuts and layoffs, change in the workplace had a bad rap. We all wanted stability and security. But now, businesses are worrying about turnover and employee engagement as more and more employees feel frustrated with the status quo. John F. Kennedy once said, “change is the law of life.” It’s inevitable. But it’s also important to remember that change isn’t always bad. Often times, it’s great. If your employees are tired of the same ole’ same ole’ at work, now may be the perfect time to shake your workplace up and make some changes for the better.

Here are three easy ways to get started before the new year.

Renovate Your Office Space
Changing your environment can change your entire outlook, and the great news is, it doesn’t have to be big. Anything from a fresh coat of paint to finally getting to that overdue cleanup-day can go a long way to brighten up your work environment and refresh your team’s perspective.

Rearranging office space into specific zones like a meeting and brainstorming space that’s far away from distracting emails and phone calls will be conducive to an environment of focus that can help increase productivity. And switching cubicles and changing workspaces can mean building a more cohesive team that works well together.

Makeover Outdated Policies and Procedures
Policies and procedures are important to every business, but they can quickly become out of date. Doing something a specific way simply because that’s how it’s always been done doesn’t mean it’s always the most efficient way. If you suspect you have some outdated policies or procedures in place, ask your team to offer suggestions for improving things. It will give your employees a chance to share their input and ideas, make them feel like they’re contributing to the overall department, and hopefully mean innovative and effective changes for your workforce.

Declare a “No Meeting Day”
In a recent survey by Express Employment Professionals, 51% of business leaders said meetings were the biggest drain of their time. Studies show the average worker spends approximately six hours a week – more if you’re a manager or executive – in meetings. If too many meetings are taking away from your employees’ already busy schedules, break away from the norm and pick a day in the week where you declare meetings off limits. Take time to evaluate some of your regularly scheduled meetings to see if there’s anything you can cut out or find ways to make them more productive. Just think what you could do with even just an extra hour a week. Think about what it would mean if every employee had an extra hour or two to complete projects or brainstorm new ideas.

You don’t have to make big changes around the office to help reengage your staff and improve performance and productivity. Every step you take to better your company, whether it’s by changing the work environment or improving procedures, can make a big difference.

How have you changed the status quo at work? We’d love to hear your ideas and experiences. Share them in the comments section below.

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