Every so often, you hear stories of start-ups with loads of potential being rocked by scandal.

3 Steps to Create A Safe Working Environment For Your Start-Up

Maybe it’s because the higher-up’s ended up being corrupt. Or perhaps enough bad employee reviews built up on Glassdoor for major publications to take notice.

No matter what the story is, there’s one thing these workplaces have in common: they’re unsafe. And it’s a position no business owner wants to find themselves in.

The definition of a “safe environment” varies, but everyone agrees that these companies foster positive, supportive communities in the office space. Your staff feels encouraged to work and see room for growth at the company.

Safe environments make people want to work rather than complain. It’s not just an ethical decision but also a strategy to increase productivity.

The bottom line is you can only benefit from creating a safe working space and only hurt your brand by ignoring the following four strategies. Here are several steps that will lead you to create a safe space at your startup.

1. Assess Your Work Space

The first step is simply assessing your workspace and the hazards it can present. We’re not just talking about office dynamics, your relationships with employees, or personal conflicts that get in a way. We’re talking about the physical space you’re in.

If your employees and customers feel nervous about being in the building, it’s going to be impossible to foster a safe space. This can be due to:

• Sagging roofs
• Mold and mildew
• Faulty electrics
• Bad plumbing
• Gross restrooms
• Dust and debris build-up

We get that you’re busy when you’re first starting out, but fixing up your physical space goes a long way. According to this commercial roofing Charlotte NC company, small businesses have the potential to completely transform the community’s perspective of their building just by fixing something as simple as a roof.

Once you’ve taken care of the urgent cleaning and repair matters, it’s time to move onto fun and worthwhile project; revamping the space!

You don’t necessarily have to go through a complete renovation, but it’s worth the time and money to do the following:

• Paint the walls a new color
• Bring in new furniture and break room amenities
• Go to a greenhouse and gather several plants in plenty of sunlight
• Update outdated and software
• Create a community board where employees can post anything they want

These fixes don’t just make your space more appealing to customers; they boost employee morale and make working at your business more pleasant.

2. Revamp the Interior

Once you’ve taken care of the urgent cleaning and repair matters, it’s time to move onto fun and worthwhile project; revamping the space!

You don’t necessarily have to go through a complete renovation, but it’s worth the time and money to do the following:

• Paint the walls a new color
• Bring in new furniture and break room amenities
• Go to a greenhouse and gather several plants in plenty of sunlight
• Update outdated and software
• Create a community board where employees can post anything they want

These fixes don’t just make your space more appealing to customers; they boost employee morale and make working at your business more pleasant.

3. Consider Emotional Needs

Showing you care and support your employees outside of work makes them feel more respected. We’re not saying you have to be anyone’s therapist, as it’s better to leave personal problems out of the office.

But there are several ways you can make people feel valued while they’re working behind your desk. Here are just a few to consider:

• Celebrate special occasions, like birthdays, first-days, and retirement
• Plan team-building activities in the afternoons or after-hours
• Leave personalized notes for employees to show you care
• Creating a suggestions box for things that can be improved

Even encouraging employees to come to your office and address concerns is enough. It’s the effort that counts.

Get Working!

Now that you have a better idea of what makes a safe space, it’s time to get working. You can begin by addressing any immediate physical concerns in the space and then move onto the fun parts: boosting your office with fun amenities and perks.

There are no downsides when following these steps, only advantages to gain. Consider taking some feedback from your current employees and work on instilling these steps as soon as possible.

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