9 Actionable Ways Leaders Can Improve the Workplace for Employees

By Brett Farmiloe

To help companies understand how to create better workplaces, we asked HR leaders and people managers to share what they consider their topmost priority for improving the workplace. From boosting employee engagement to encouraging a healthy work-life balance, here are nine actionable ways to make your company a better place to work.

9 ways to improve your workplace

1. Ensure employees are part of goal setting

"I am responsible for human resources for an online content creation business. Working with freelancers across multiple time zones and geographies has taught me to have a more proactive approach to goals and deliverables. I make sure that all deliverables and goals are in alignment with each person's lifestyle, culture, and workload. I have seen that by just ensuring employees are part of goal setting, I have been able to really improve overall engagement from my employees."

—Mogale Modisane, ToolsGaloreHQ

2. Change negative attitudes toward corporate women

"We live in the twenty-first century, and we are all about supporting women in the workplace, but still, behind the big corporate image there are some departments and areas where women’s opinions are neglected or not given the amount of appreciation that they deserve. Especially when women are in a high position, they can be judged by others.

"Being in a position of authority, I would like to put in my 100% effort to transform employees with such opinions. Women in high-technology fields, such as gaming, animation, IT, etc., are often underestimated. Now is the time to show the correct place for such egos and create an equal work environment for everyone."

—Nathan Hughes, Diggity Marketing

3. Provide better mental health support

"Over the last few years, mental health has taken a front seat in our HR dealings as we work to support employees through dramatic workplace shifts and extra stress in their personal lives due to the pandemic. We’ve been building stronger mental health initiatives and upping our budget to support remote and in-office staff, but in 2022, we’re expanding those supports within the HR department itself.

"HR employees are dealing with higher rates of turnover and their own set of pandemic-related stressors, yet as the first line of team support, they’re often the last to receive what they need in return. We’re focused on building more robust support for our HR team so they can better manage their own mental health and avoid burnout."

—Anthony Martin, Choice Mutual

4. Focus on employee development and growth

"By focusing on employee development and growth, and helping staff achieve their goals, it not only promotes a healthy work environment, but also enhances a person's sense of belonging, well-being, and productivity. We offer courses and training to our employees to help them acquire new skills, grow a talent, or get the certification they need to help them reach their personal goals as well as develop and grow their careers.

"When an employee feels that they are constantly growing, and that we care about their development and help them reach their personal and professional goals, it really improves the work environment, creates a better work experience, and boosts productivity and employee satisfaction."

—Jordan Fabel, ApprovedCourse

5. Encourage a healthy work-life balance

"Leading HR professionals face a number of challenges every day. As an HR leader, one of our most important priorities is ensuring that our workplace is conducive to productivity and employee satisfaction.

"[To do that], we establish clear expectations for both our employees and managers. This has helped everyone understand their roles and responsibilities, and ensure that everyone is on the same page and expectations are met. Most importantly, we promote a healthy work-life balance for our employees. Flex scheduling, no dress code, and leaving the office early Friday are just a few things we've implemented to give more time and balance back to our staff."

—Travis Lindemoen, nexus IT group

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6. Establish clear communication channels

"As a leader in HR, the topmost priority for improving my workplace is to establish clear communication channels and build trust with my employees. This enables us to have open and honest discussions about everyone's needs and expectations, as well as mine. It is also important for us to be on the same page so that we can work towards a common goal. I also believe that setting realistic expectations will help reduce frustration and create a positive working environment."

—Ammad Asif, Stream Digitally

7. Ensure employee happiness

"Those who work in HR want everyone to be happy, so it's no surprise that a topmost priority is a good employee experience. Employees who love their jobs will improve the workplace. They will be interested in how well it runs, offer suggestions, and be more engaged. From an HR standpoint, positive employee experiences also mean better retention. That makes my job easier, but also helps the company because there isn't a lot of new training and replacement."

—Bruce Tasios, Tasios Orthodontics

8. Create a more human work environment

"Pressure to improve equity and inclusion within companies has been a long time coming. The initiative for this needed change is coming from HR stakeholders, and these leaders will be instrumental in working towards making real progress in diversifying leadership.

"The push to create a more human work environment that is empathetic and understanding of different cultures is one of the most important issues facing HR teams today. It has been proven that the more diverse a company is, the more successful it can be. Welcoming different viewpoints and cultures make organizations stronger and much better places to work."

—Georgi Todorov, ThriveMyWay

9. Improve employee engagement and productivity

"Since we work remotely, our employees can sometimes feel disconnected, demotivated, and even isolated. That’s why we’ve tried to boost employee engagement and productivity by creating virtual team-building events and activities, such as board game nights, virtual karaoke, and other events.

"We also highlight employee accomplishments by giving each employee a chance to nominate one of their peers or managers for their achievements or good deeds, and then we post the nominations in our dedicated group chats. At the end of the month, the employee who has received the most recognition from other employees is named "employee of the month" and receives a gift of their choice. The advantage of highlighting employee achievements is everyone is acknowledged and recognized. Since we work remotely, making everyone feel valued is important, even if they’re not employee of the month."

—Nicole Thelin, Low Income Relief

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