Creating a great company culture can mean the difference between success and failure for your department. Employees who are happy at work are more productive, support their teams and produce quality work. Yet how can you create this type of work environment? A great company culture is created by listening to your team and creating an open line of communication. Discover how you can infuse your team with a positive environment.

Give Your Employees Tools – Not Solutions

Don’t give your employees a step-by-step plan to solve a problem. Simply give them the tools they need to complete the job and a little guidance and direction. By letting your employees solve problems themselves, you’ll empower them to make their own decisions and take control of their successes. Just remember to offer your employees plenty of support along the way. If they feel supported, they’ll be more likely to take chances in their work and solve problems without your constant supervision.

Support Your Employees

Create a culture in your office where your employees know they are supported. Discuss their personal goals with them and find ways to connect these with the company’s goals. If another department questions your department, or if someone superior questions one of your employees, don’t apologize for your employees or throw them under the bus. Ask your employees why others are questioning their work or methods. When responding to other departments, reiterate that you support your employees and will work with them to arrive at a conclusion that will support both parties. Reiterate to your employees that you support them and that you want them to help to streamline the workflow for future success.

Create Opportunities for Advancement

When your employees can see promotion or advancement in their futures, they are more likely to produce quality work and solutions to problems. Money isn’t the only way to give your employees incentive. Doing the same job day in and day out can feel monotonous. If employees understand that there is a reason for their hard work and that they will be thanked for their work, they are more likely to go above and beyond to aim for success.

Build Teams that Work Well Together

Consider the employees when creating work team. Try to put complementary people on teams – not like-minded people. If you put like-minded people on a team, your teams won’t produce quality work. When team members simply agree with each other all the time, they don’t create the best possible solutions for a problem. Make sure your teams are made up of employees who push each other and illicit the best work and solutions for their problems. Go a step beyond the usual team-building methods and get your teams SKG uniforms and t-shirts to encourage team pride and a sense of unity. When employees feel like they’re part of an appreciated team, they see that their contribution is both essential and valued.

Backup Your Feedback

Give your employees feedback with examples. If you’re praising an employee, don’t just say, “Good job.” Tell your employees why you enjoyed their work and what steps they specifically took to create their own successes. When giving negative feedback, make sure to analyze the problem and explain exactly what went wrong.

Above all, make sure your team feels comfortable giving you feedback and coming to you with questions. If your employees trust you, they will give you the best work possible.