The health of an office is about more than just a gym membership or a wellness program. While physical health is very important, mental health is just as important in any work environment. In the past few years there has been a lot of focus on toxic work environments and how you can make sure your office doesn’t become one. Here are some great ways to build strong connections with your employees and make sure your work environment is a healthy one.  
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Build Trust with Your Employees
Building trust with your employees can take a lot of time and effort. The outcome will make your team much stronger in the long run. Model the kind of trust in others you want them to have in you. Building trust is a balance between leading and listening and making sure you and your team are all on the same page. Promoting trust between employees is also important because everyone should feel like a valued part of the team.
 
Keep Your Employees Informed
Communication is essential to building a workspace that is healthy and positive. Keeping your employees up to date on things happening within the company, no matter how big or small, makes them feel appreciated. If a large change is coming informing your employees first lets them know you care and don’t expect them to adapt overnight to change. When in doubt, the golden rule of treating others the way you would want to be treated will help guide you on what kind of information is important to share.
 
Hire Smart
The hiring process is when you get to know the personalities of potential employees and see if they would be a good fit for your company. You don’t just want someone who has the technical skills you are looking for; you want to hire someone that will fit with the other personalities of the office and adapt to the workflow already in place. Hiring someone that is excited about their work and long-term goals in their career will give other employees a boost of enthusiasm.
 
Rethink Your Workspace
The physical space in which we work plays a huge role in the quality of our day-to-day lives. Natural light, clean air, and tidy spaces play a big role in making us feel good at work. Another way we can rethink workspaces is by personalizing them for each member of the team. If someone needs a different chair, desk, wants to have a plant or hang a picture, allowing them to have these little things goes a lot way to help their mental health at work.
 
Check-in with Your Team Regularly
Once you set these things into place it is very important to continue to check-in with team members. Getting their feedback on what is working and what isn’t will help you adjust as your business grows and changes. It will also show employees that you value their opinion and really do care about their experience at work.
 
Everyone deserves to work in a place that wants to help them grow and become the best they can at what they do. As an owner, boss, manager, or leader of a company, you have the power to help make that happen. Each day you get to shape your office environment into what you want it to be. Remember that making a healthy work environment is the first step and maintaining it is a commitment that you have to keep working on every single day.  

By Chelsea Bray- Elle A. Design

The new year is here, and it is that time when we all start setting goals. If you are a small business owner, or a leader in the community, here are some goals you may want to consider adding to your list this year.

1. Build a Website
If 2020 taught us anything, it is that we need to be flexible and adapt to changes quickly in order for our businesses to survive. There were so many businesses that never had an online presence that had to pull together a website last minute to keep their doors open. If you are starting a new business, or just need a refresh, now is the time to get your website polished and make sure it functions exactly like you need it to. Having a website will give customers time to shop outside of your regular hours and you can literally make sales while you sleep.

2. Build Your Brand
Building your brand, both online and in your community, is important for the long-term success of your business. While building your brand, through social media and other outlets, you get to share your personality with your customers. People will not only like your products or services but begin to trust you as the owner of the brand. This builds customer loyalty and gives them a reason to return and become a repeat customer. They will also start advocating for your product or services on your behalf giving you more business.

3. Be a Mentor
If we all look back to the beginning of our careers, there was most likely someone there that guided us. Did we get the support we needed, or do we wish we had been given more? Are you at a point in your career where you think you can provide some advice to someone just starting out? Mentoring is a great way to give back, not just to your community but in your field of work. It is also a great way to be seen as a leader in your community. Give back this year and find someone that could use a mentor.
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4. Get Involved in Your Community
Find ways to collaborate with other local businesses. This will not only build your resources and connections but will help your town come together and appear unified. People want to visit a place where they are going to feel like they belong. Building connections around town and being able to support one another make the town feel welcoming and friendly. If everyone supports one another, the whole town will grow together. Find fun and interesting ways to collaborate with businesses, even ones that people wouldn’t expect at first. Step outside of the box and get creative.  

5. Fight Burnout and Find Balance
With everything going digital and more and more companies coming up with solutions for working at home, the line between work life and home life is more blurred than ever before. In order to fight burnout, it is important to set some boundaries and learn to stick to them. Be sure you are delegating tasks that would be better handled by someone else and make sure to take time for yourself. This includes taking your lunch break (even if you are really busy), not taking phone calls after hours, and leaving emails for the morning. There will always be times when you break these rules, but being mindful of them and why you set them in the first place will help you balance your work life and home life.
Everyone sets and maintains goals differently, but we hope there are some ideas on this list you will consider adding to yours this year. It takes a lot of time and dedication to run a small business and be an active part of a growing community. We hope at the end of the day you are taking care of yourself and staying happy and healthy this year! 

By Chelsea Bray-Elle A. Design