A Culture of Lights: How to create a culture that promotes ideas, goodwill, and happiness
Originally published in conjunction with Diwali
Known as the festival of lights and the biggest festival for the Hindu community, Diwali is celebrated by 6.3% (1.78 million) of the Malaysian population. The significance of Diwali marks the victory of lights over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and good over evil.
How can we create a culture that promotes these values at the workplace?
Promote an idea
Creating a culture of ideas starts with its leaders. Leaders play an important role in setting the right tone at the workplace. Being a good listener and having an open mindset encourages employees to share their thoughts and take initiatives.
Leaders who promote the freedom to fail without any negative stigma encourage employees to be more curious and creative in their thinking. This also increases the likelihood of employees actively furthering knowledge.
Dedicating time to ideas and innovations influences a culture of openness and polishes interpersonal skills through interaction. It helps cultivate an active listening attitude, teaches you how to be a team player, and also take responsibility for all your actions.
Other skills that will be developed by devoting time to idea-sharing are being a person others can depend on, in tune with the others to motivate them accordingly, flexible to accommodate to changes in various circumstances, having patience when enduring tedious tasks, and strengthening leadership values.
See also: Unity in Diversity: How to Consciously Encourage Diversity at Work
Goodwill starts from the top
Goodwill at the workplace should be practiced by leaders on a daily basis for it to cascade down to the lower levels as they become role models to others — being supportive, positive, a good communicator which also means a good listener. They then set this as a standard behavior and these traits will trickle down to everyone.
The culture of the organization is what gives a positive or negative impact on the atmosphere at work. Those who are at the top have a huge influence on the tone at work.
Happiness is achieving goals in all aspects of life
Happiness is something that gives us joy and it is what we feel when we have achieved objectives we have set. Achieving a goal whether it is big or small, makes us feel confident in ourselves and makes us feel that what we think and do have a purpose and an impact.
Well defined and forward-looking performance appraisals are key at the workplace as this gives employees a chance to grow & learn new skills as an individual within an environment that encourages innovation and creativity. It is also essential to take stock and run more informal and personal ‘reviews’ on goals and development on the personal side — be it about family, finances, or anything employees care about. This way companies help employees fulfill their aspirations while giving them the opportunity to take into account personal goals when defining the career they want to have.
By setting this culture of creative ideas, goodwill, and happiness at the workplace, it influences employees’ motivation and creates a greater impact on everything they do.
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