We’ve all heard the old adage “it’s good to talk”, well nothing could be truer!
If you have something on your mind, talk about it; if something is bothering you, talk about it; if you’re feeling stressed, talk about it! Talking is good, and talking is something we should do more of.
Within the work setting this is even more true. Whether you’re in your own office desk pod or a huge collaborative situation, stress is a huge problem in the modern day and many people pinpoint their working situation to be the main stressor in their lives.
For this reason, having an open door policy between management and employees knocks down the barriers and makes it easier to talk.
When we talk, we find solutions, we feel better and within a work situation, we feel like we belong to the office family.
Creating a stress-free working environment isn’t possible, but having a low stress environment is. This means looking at the way the office is designed, perhaps incorporating smart office furniture and thinking about wellness as a priority. Encourage staff to approach management with issues, and don’t create an ‘us and them’ culture between different hierarchical levels. We are all equal and when we have a problem, we can all help each other.
Not everyone wants to talk about their problems at round boardroom tables with everyone listening, some issues need to be one on one and when an employee talks to your manager, and they listen, morale will improve and hopefully a solution to the problem will become apparent.
Does your workplace have an open door policy?