By Shawn Doyle

Visualize this. You are in a room where rats scurry across people’s feet, looking for warmth inside the building, which is so cold that people are wearing gloves. Four people are crowded into this room, when it should only contain one person. Paint is peeling off of the walls, and water is dripping off of pipes into buckets. You might think that I’m describing a place in an underprivileged part ofAmerica, but I’m describing offices found in corporateAmerica. 

As I travel the country as a consultant and a speaker, I’ve seen environments like the one described above. What are the first questions that spring to my mind?

  • What the hell is the leader thinking?
  • How can a leader allow this kind of environment?
  • What message are they sending to their employees?
  • Why don’t they think it matters? 

Here’s the point. If you are in a leadership role, (crew lead, foreman, supervisor, manager, boss, director, etc.) then you absolutely, positively have to consider the physical environment of the workspace where your employees work and live. The physical space has a huge impact on morale, attitude, productivity, and customer service. It is your team’s home away from home. Here are 5 things that your physical workspace must be:

1)   It must be comfortable.
I was visiting a client’s location (a call center) and the employees were saying how much better the new space was than the old one. What was wrong with the old one? Rats would run across their feet while they were on the phone. It was overcrowded. It was freezing. Are you kidding me? The space where employees work should be free from vermin, temperature regulated, and not cramped or overcrowded. What’s amazing is that I shouldn’t have to write about it. This should be a matter of common sense and decency. 

2)   It must be clean.
The space should be clean, free of dust, mold, and mildew. Think about this: when a workspace is clean, it sends important messages about professionalism, pride, excellence, and expectations. It says to the employee, “This is how we do it here.” What message is your team’s space sending? 

3)   It must be functional.
Make sure that the space works in terms of functionality. Do copiers work? Do computers work? I see a lot of cases where old, outdated, or broken equipment leads to frustration, low morale. It creates an atmosphere where employees feel underappreciated, because they don’t have the tools that they need. 

4)   It must be (reasonably) esthetically pleasing.
While it doesn’t need to be the Taj Mahal, the space has to look presentable. If the walls are peeling, paint them. If the carpet is old, ratty, and stained, replace it, if possible, or at least get it cleaned.  Take down the bent blinds and the faded wall calendars from 1965. Remember as a leader that people believe what they see. This doesn’t have to be expensive. How much does paint cost? What would carpet cleaning cost? 

5)   It must be an environment that supports a positive attitude.
Last on the list, and perhaps most importantly, is the mental aspect of the workplace, which includes many areas. Which aspect do I believe has the greatest impact on the general attitude in an environment? Who you hire and who you keep. If you hire people who are energetic and enthusiastic, then that is the kind of environment that you will have. If you have people who are constantly grumpy and complaining, then you, as a leader, will have created a negative environment. A positive, can-do attitude should be an expectation of the job. 

To help you apply these things to your workplace, take the “fresh eyes” challenge. Walk into your office with fresh eyes, like you’ve never seen the space before. Ask yourself:

  • Does it look like a place where people would be proud to work?
  • Would you give your best client a tour?
  • Would you give a relative a tour?
  • Is the space passable, or just an embarrassment?
  • How do your employees feel? (This is the most important thing to consider.

As a leader, become the architect of the environment for your team, both physically and mentally. You’ll be amazed at the impact it will have on morale. Sure, you might have to give up your “pet” rats in the winter, but they’ll find another building to invade.

Shawn Doyle is the President of New Light Learning and Development (www.newlightlearning.com) a company specializing in Leadership Development. He has also authored five books on leadership sales and motivation. His latest book The 10 Foundations of Motivation is being published this month in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Malaysia.