Creating a positive workplace culture
Judi Roberts, Indiana University Staff Merit Award Recipient and Retiree
It Starts with One
When I first joined my department, the culture was quite different than how I left it over 20 years later. For example, in my job interview, I was asked about criticism in the workplace regarding performance. My reply was that a positive approach is more encouraging and effective than negative criticism. But my response was met with skepticism. After getting the job, I quickly learned the departmental culture was one where employees rarely received "kudos” or "thank you" when a job was well done. And often, there was criticism of mistakes, instead of an environment open to learning and innovation (which often comes with missteps).
However, the great thing about workplace culture is that — with time and effort — it can be changed. And I knew I was the one to start it.
My first step was to focus on my co-workers. I wanted to find a way to encourage them to "keep up the great work." I began to secretly give roses to anyone in need of a reminder of how wonderful they were. I would arrive to work early and place a single rose in a co-worker’s mailbox with a note praising them for something I had witnessed or heard they had done — perhaps a helping hand to another employee, a smile to someone in the hallway, going the extra mile on a work project, etc. I considered it a win-win, because it felt great for me to focus my attention on all the wonderful traits and actions of my colleagues, and it felt great to them to be acknowledged.
Later, when it was discovered I was the secret "admirer," I switched to placing cards in mailboxes to co-workers in need of positive feedback. Eventually, I also began giving cards to others I had connected with outside of the department during times of bereavement, anniversaries, or birthdays, etc., . . . sometimes even to visitors who came through our department. It was a joy to expand my reach of kindness and connection in this way.
