How To Make Your Workplace More Enjoyable

When it comes to your workplace, it’s somewhere that you’ll probably spend the majority of your day in and therefore it’s important that you enjoy the environment that you are working in. Your company may be able to influence this, but here are a few ways that you can make your workplace more enjoyable.

Image Source

Buy A Radio For The Office

It’s not going to be something that will be appropriate for all office environments, so this depends on whether it would be acceptable or not. However, buying a radio for your office can create a different atmosphere and will also lift the mood of the office depending on what’s played. If the office is outdoors, then you can find some of the best jobsite radio players that everyone on site will be able to enjoy. Do factor in your colleagues though when it comes to buying an office radio. Not everyone will enjoy listening to the radio on a daily basis, so it might be worth putting the feelers out first before just purchasing it. As an alternative, you could always just play the radio or music from your desktop and use headphones during quiet periods. Be wary of using them too much though as it might make you look unapproachable. 

Request Flexible Working

It’s normal to get fed up of your work surroundings, and when it comes to enjoying your workplace, that doesn’t mean you can’t focus on working outside of the workplace. A lot of businesses are now looking at offering more flexible working for their staff. Our lives can certainly get busy at different points over the years and emergencies can crop up that might mean you need to be away from the office. It’s more beneficial for the company to give you the opportunity to work even if you are away and able to at home. So don’t be afraid to approach your line manager or anyone in HR to discuss your needs and requirements. They may be able to help or it might be something that is not yet possible and may need you to pass certain probations before having the benefits of flexible working.

Personalize Your Work Station

A personalized workstation will make it feel like a home away from home if you have some familiar home comforts to decorate it with. Think family photos and little decor items that you personally love to have. The only time to be conscious of this is when your desk sits in a public domain. You may need to remove these if they are ever in view during the day, but the one or two little personalised items shouldn’t really be a problem. Again, it’s always best to double check things like this with your managers, just so you know what protocols are to be followed. 

Image Source

Socialize With Colleagues

Even if you’re not one of the most sociable people, it’s good to have at least some sort of work relationship with your colleagues to make daily work life a little easier. Build these relationships simply by saying hello and asking about their day when you bump into them. Take advantage of social occasions that the company may organize so that you can get to know those you are working with better and to be aware of everyone else who works within the company. Having good working relationships will come in handy when you require assistance from others. Keep everyone on their good side, and you’ll have a much more enjoyable working experience with colleagues you get on with.

Use Task Management Systems

When it comes to working as part of a team or between a few colleagues, making sure everyone does their fair share of work is important. If some are slacking, then it ends up creating a negative atmosphere in the workplace with others resenting one another. Pinning the blame on one person immediately isn’t fair practice, but you can monitor the situation by suggesting a task management system like Asana. If you’re a manager, then you can easily implement this, although as just a team member, you’ll need to get permission from your manager or team leader. It’s a great way of assigning tasks and making sure that everyone’s doing an equal load of work. It will become noticeable if someone’s not doing their fair share, and that becomes an opportunity for that individual or individuals to be pulled up on it. 

Have An Office Dog

Again, this all depends on allergies and particular preferences but an office dog can certainly help for everyone’s well being - providing everyone loves dogs of course. There are a few sites where you can volunteer to look after a dog, whether that’s someone else who may be at work during times of the week or from a local shelter to give the dog a bit of an excursion. An office dog in a private work area will work best, and it’s not recommended to get one for the reception area where people are coming in and out. So put a suggestion in your manager and see if it’s something that others in the workplace would be happy having.

With these suggestions, you’ll certainly notice a difference with the overall atmosphere of your workplace. To recap, think about purchasing an office radio, and Friday’s will be a lot more fun in the afternoon. Ask your manager about flexible working and whether it’s something that they can offer to you. Personalize your workstation to make it more appealing to work at and less corporate. Make an effort to talk to your colleagues on a regular basis and to give yourself a nudge to socialize with others at work events that you might not have spoken to before. If your colleagues all love dogs, then you can always get an office dog to lift people’s spirits on a Monday morning and lastly, take advantage of task management software to ensure everyone is working hard together and more importantly, as a team.