The New Workplace: Happier, Freer, More Intuned and More Connected

(Guest post by Karen Bresnahan)

Going to work everyday in today’s world, has become not just a job, but a lifestyle. The workplace has become so much more than it used to be decades ago. They call it company culture and it is directly related to personal well being.

In other words, work has become less of a “chore” and more of a fun, enjoyable and fulfilling experience. Workplace satisfaction is rising and people are become more intune with each other.

Top level managers are increasingly aware of  the importance of building company culture.  Google is a prime example a company that promotes good culture.  Other companies are certainly taking note and big changes are being made in consideration for employee workspaces, with the goal of making work less tedious, less stressful and more productive. It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved.

A good company culture is an idealistic world where people work together and enjoy themselves while doing it, while accomplishing more than they ever have at work.

The underlying principle is that better work environments attract better people and happier people do a better job at work. Recent statistics from a survey done in 2014 show that companies with happier employees are faster growing and more profitable.

At many of these companies the entire operational setup has evolved from the old generation’s world of cubicles into what can be described as an open classroom type of environment. People are seated in large open spaces, where they can easily work in teams and interact, exchanging valuable training amongst themselves, and providing crucial input between employees and managers.

Ultimately, companies must be highly competitive in their methods of attracting the best workers for their new world environment and improving company culture is one way of doing that. In fact, employers with improved culture are shown to have smaller turnover rates. Work environments are being made more  comfortable and desirable, so work atmospheres are becoming more like home atmospheres.

Increasingly, businesses are dedicating valuable time and money on creative ways to address their employees needs because ultimately that is what is needed for business success and profitability. The new trend is for companies to find ways to make work more enjoyable by increasing the number of employee perks.

Employers are doing things like providing free breakfasts, free drinks and snacks, free conveniences, organizing regular fun group activities, allowing people to dress casual and giving employees a stronger voice and more decision making power.

Managers are being trained to be more supportive and to adopt a coach-like philosophy.  Instead of being authoritative, they are being directed to act more like mentors, so they can be more supportive of individual needs and build closer relationships with employees while motivating workers through teamwork methods.

Individuals are given more freedom as to how they work, where they work, and what time they work. The whole concept creates a new feeling of freedom in the workplace.

Companies today are adapting open door policies that bring the workers and managers together. In this environment, new ideas are welcomed and exchanged, and changes are made every day.

The workplace becomes like a living, breathing thing that is well taken care of, and everyone at the company has input.

Everyone works closely together in the new work world. It is a more personal, teamwork approach. Each person’s individual contribution is important to the group as a whole. The walls of rigidity and barriers created by any type of prejudices among workers are breaking down in many places.

Company culture is a concept that has been a long time coming.

It’s a changed world out there at work and it’s better, with happier, more capable people who are work together and creating more productive visible results.

Download the eBook and find out what makes people happy to go to work every day and give their best, with real answers from employees across the world.

Author Bio: Karen Bresnahan is a freelance writer, professional photographer and artist from Boise, Idaho. She has a background as a journalist and a wedding/portrait photographer, and has experience in a variety of positions in the photo industry, human resources, government, medical office, property management, online business, sales and customer service.

She has been published as a writer/photographer in the Valley News in Meridian, ID, and the Owyhee Avalanche newspaper in Homedale, ID. She currently manages her own small business. You can connect with her on Twitter or on her email: idahokaren1111@gmail.com.

Image credit: Sebastiaan ter Burg under C.C.2.0