How to Create and Maintain a Positive Workplace Culture

BY JOE DELUCE

A positive workplace culture develops through alignment of values, standards, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. It is evident in everything you and your staff do every day.

Workplace Culture could be considered one of the most essential elements of a successful agency or organization. Many consider it more important than a strategic plan, master plan, or communications plan, because without a positive culture any agency will have a challenging time keeping employees, completing projects, and providing outstanding customer service.  

How is a positive workplace culture created at your agency?

Begin with understanding that no two agency cultures will be the same. Each agency will have its own specific workplace culture.

The key is to align your workplace culture with your organization’s mission, vision, goals, and values. One of the hardest issues to prevent within an organization is the creation of sub-cultures. One or more of your departments or areas may develop their own culture, which could be a lot different than the preferred overall culture for the agency.

So, it is crucial to have each of your departments and your entire leadership all on the same page in creating a positive work culture. Every agency will have negative staff members and they will do damage as you try to create a positive workplace culture, so the key is to find out as soon as possible who is not on the same page and work with them to increase buy-in or encourage them to find the best fit for them.

One of the hardest tasks for a public agency is for the leadership and board members to believe in the concept of saying YES to the residents, other agencies, and staff. The “YES” does have to fall within the mission, values, and vision for the agency, but how many times it does not can be very few, when considering the broad diversity of parks and recreation offerings!

Even more so these days, young professionals need more than a paycheck to make them want to stay at an agency! If they feel like they are not being heard, are bored, or must deal with other staff who are unwilling to change at every corner, they will soon look to move on to another position at a different agency.

Goals of a Positive Workplace Culture

An example of developing a positive workplace culture is to create a list of specific goals the Board and staff should focus on to create a positive work culture. Please see the list below for a few examples:

Professional: As leaders in the parks and recreation field, staff demonstrate professionalism in the workplace every day.

Fun: Staff look forward to coming to work and enjoying what they do.

Creative: Unafraid of failure. Staff are willing to try innovative ideas and programs without risk and find ways to say yes to the right requests.

Personable: Staff are likeable, courteous, easy to work with and deliver excellent customer service.

Proactive: Staff do not have to be told what to do! They take initiative to get things done.

Supportive: Staff support and care about each other like family and all staff feel welcome and safe at work.

Ideas to Implement a Positive Workplace Culture

An Executive Director of a parks and recreation agency, shapes the workplace culture by communicating the goals through many methods at a high frequency and by their own attitude and behaviors they display at work. So, what else can you do to as the leader to implement a positive workplace culture:

• Have a positive outlook and lead by being as positive as you can be every day you come to work.
• Find ways to say “YES” to your residents, other agencies, your staff, and board members.
• Work with your board to make sure they buy into the above goals of building a positive work culture as the staff will follow the lead of the board on being positive or negative
• Share and live the goals for a positive work culture every day by encouraging your direct reports to focus on these areas as part of their leadership and what they share with their staff
• Promote learning as a key for developing a professional staff by sending your staff to education sessions, conferences, local education seminars, paying staff to return to college, and recognize staff who take the time and effort to advance their education.
• Develop policies and procedures that promote the above goals for creating a positive work culture.

• Communication is one of the keys to a positive workplace culture as many employees will often complain they had no idea what is going on within the organization or they have communication issues with other employees from different departments. Develop training and opportunities for all staff to be open to communication across the agency.
• When interviewing candidates for your organization make sure to focus on how they will fit into the organization, make personality is a key trait to look for to make sure they are a good fit.
• Whenever possible promote staff from within for open positions. Promote staff who have a positive outlook and demonstrate the skills and traits that the agency is built on.
• Provide staff who wish to advance their careers with mentors from within the organization or outside professionals who can help them prepare for advancement.
• Talk and listen to your staff to hear their feedback as they often understand better than you where the issues are that are preventing a positive workplace culture.
• Improve your onboarding of inexperienced staff to make sure they know everything they need to know to do an outstanding job and succeed as an employee in the organization.
• If something is not working within your organization, take immediate action to correct it.

Do whatever is necessary to make sure employees are happy.

It of course almost impossible to make everyone happy but you must try and here are a few ideas:

• Reward staff for doing outstanding work but be specific on what they did well. 
• Provide rewards like food or free use of park and recreation facilities.
• Provide opportunities for one-on-one and team meetings so everyone knows what is going on.
• Make sure all staff know what is expected of them and if they make a mistake, make sure you and your supervisors coach them up.
• Ongoing training throughout the year.
• All staff have contact with the leadership team throughout the year.
• Leadership team make breakfast for your employees.
• Give all employees a birthday card signed by the director.
• Recognize staff and volunteers at your annual board meeting.

As the Executive Director of your agency please make sure you focus on developing and maintaining a positive workplace culture as one of your priorities. 

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Joe DeLuce, CPRP is a retired Parks and Recreation Professional with over 40 years as a leader in various park and recreation agencies across the country. Joe is working with Campfire Concepts as a consultant and is available to assist your agency with improving your culture, developing a strategic plan, presenting to your staff or board on several topics, or finding new employees who will be a great fit for your agency. He can be reached at 217-714-2333 or joe.deluce@outlook.com