Praise your colleagues
Notice your colleagues’ contributions. Give recognition and feedback, and acknowledge them for the work they do. This means a lot for the work environment.
Ask curious questions
Be open to your colleagues’ opinions, thoughts and ideas – even if they differ from your own. Ask what they think about issues being discussed, decisions being made, or projects being implemented. By doing so, you help create a safe environment and a culture where people feel comfortable voicing their opinions.
Actively listen to others
Show you are listening when others talk about things that may be uncomfortable or difficult to share. Strong social support from colleagues helps us handle challenges and serves as a buffer against stress, overwhelm and illness.
If people sense that you are not listening when they discuss sensitive issues, they may choose to withhold information. This means missing out on valuable input, thoughts, or lessons learned that could strengthen the work environment.
Be honest about mistakes and weaknesses
Talk about mistakes you've made or things that are hard to share. By doing so, you set an example for others and show that it's okay to talk about the things we fail to achieve.
Show respect and understanding
Respect and understand each other both in person and when someone isn’t present.
Refraing from speaking condescendingly about your colleagues behind their backs. This fosters insecurity and makes people less willing to share their thoughts, ideas and concerns.
Show generosity to others who are honest about their mistakes
The best teams consist of dedicated employees who report mistakes and suggest improvements. They dare to speak out and propose all kinds of ideas without fear of being ridiculed, frowned upon, humiliated, penalised, ignored or recriminated against.
Give feedback to your colleagues
Provide constructive feedback – and receive feedback in a constructive manner. Combine clarity with kindness. This way, the feedback is more likely to be effective.
Contribute to clear goals, roles and expectations
Ensure you and your colleagues share the same understanding of our direction (goals), who does what (roles), and how to do it (expectations). This clarity helps prevent disagreements, uncertainty and conflicts.
Discuss challenges
Talk to your manager and colleagues about issues that are challenging. Minor problems can be resolved promptly if addressed right away. This fosters an atmosphere where you can raise concerns without negatively affecting the work environment.
Ask for feedback on the way you communicate
Ask your colleagues how they feel about the way you communicate. What do they think works well, and what could be improved? By doing this, you demonstrate that you value good communication and that their feedback is important to you.
Promote work-life balance
Work pressure and long hours can negatively impact the work environment. Take the initiative to discuss the importance of work-life balance and support colleagues who set boundaries for themselves to avoid burnout. This creates a more sustainable work environment over time.
Include everyone and promote diversity
An inclusive workplace enhances unity and wellbeing. Be mindful of the ways all colleagues are included in discussions, projects and social activities. Value and promote awareness of cultural and individual differences, and avoid the formation of cliques.
Show gratitude and celebrate successes
Simple acknowledgments of achievements and small victories can work wonders for motivation and team spirit. Organise celebrations when projects are completed, or show appreciation for everyday efforts. This invigorates the team and contibutes to a positive atmosphere.
Build trust through transparent communication
It is important that everyone feels informed and involved in decisions that impact their work life. Encourage transparency from management and share relevant information clearly and understandably. This builds trust and reduces uncertainty.
Need advice or tips on creating a better work environment? Please feel free to contact the Division of Human Resources:
- kristian.solaas@uia.no
- Phone
- +47 38 14 19 71
- ann.birgitte.tveiten@uia.no
- Phone
- +47 37 23 30 19