We spend a lot of hours in our lives with our colleagues. Besides the content of work, having enjoyable colleagues is often an important prerequisite. After all, experiencing job satisfaction is largely caused by our colleagues. When team members can come to each other, help each other where necessary and are there for each other, it has a positive effect on the working atmosphere. It increases the team spirit, which in turn benefits the company’s results. It is therefore important for both employees and the organisation to create a good working atmosphere. But what if the atmosphere is bad? How can you improve it and how can DISC help?
Causes of a bad work atmosphere
Whereas a good working atmosphere creates more fun and increases productivity, a bad work atmosphere creates stress and tension. This often has a negative effect on productivity and can lead to increased absence due to illness. There are several possible causes of a negative work atmosphere. Among them, you can think of excessive work pressure, poor mutual communication, lack of appreciation and conflicts. You often see a lack of trust in the team, leading to a lack of communication and people not helping each other. People talk about each other instead of with each other.
How to change the negative work atmosphere
You don’t turn a bad working atmosphere into a positive one within a day. This is often a process of getting to know each other better, sharing good experiences and learning to trust each other. To get this done, though, there are certain steps that you can take.
Step 1: Get to know each other
In teams where things are not going well, you see that mutual communication is often limited. As a result, team members know very little about each other. By discussing personal interests such as hobbies, family or other life views, people get to know each other better. This can increase mutual bonding.
Step 2: Understanding each other’s behavioural styles
To increase mutual understanding, DISC analysis can be used. The DISC behavioural analysis gives a picture of how we do things the way we do them and the way we react to our environment. It says something about how a person acts and where preferences lie. DISC reveals where our qualities, and pitfalls are. By talking to each other about this, you create an open atmosphere. It makes people aware of the qualities of others, who to turn to for certain questions and how people can help each other.
Step 3: Understanding the DISC team analysis
With an individual DISC analysis, a teamanalysis can be made. This will give you a visual impression of the composition of the team in terms of the DISC behavioural styles. This will reveal the team’s strengths and also weaknesses. What is already in house in terms of potential and can people perhaps develop further in certain areas? To achieve real change, it is important to make concrete agreements. Agree on a time to reflect on the agreements.
Step 4: Teambuilding
Make time to do something fun together, away from work. Think of teambuilding where there is a need to work together. This way, people get to know each other better in an informal way while sharing a positive experience. It shows how to communicate verbally and non-verbally with each other and strengthens mutual trust. This can make a positive contribution to job satisfaction and also the working atmosphere.
The added value of DISC analyses
DISC analyses from DISC Boulevard give you insight into behavioural preferences, both at individual and group level. It can add value in several areas and ensures that mutual understanding can increase. Want to get started with DISC and see what it can do for your organisation? Then get in touch with us.
Want to know more about DISC in teams?
How do you improve the work atmosphere?
You cannot change a working atmosphere so simply or quickly. The whole team has to commit to it. It starts with getting to know each other, on a personal level and by understanding each other’s DISC behavioural styles and communication preferences. With this, you can map out the team structure and get started with team-building activities.
Why a DISC team analysis?
When you have insight into each other’s qualities and pitfalls, you can ensure that everyone is in the right place and can make full use of their qualities.
You will also gain insight into each other’s communication preferences, allowing you to better understand group dynamics.
You will also find a canvas in the team report for an action plan to work on with the team.
How can you improve communication in teams?
To work effectively together in a team with different DISC styles, it is important to understand what the communication preferences are. In our free DISC e-book, we explain from each DISC behavioural style what they can appreciate about each other and what they find difficult. This is a tool that gives you the tools you need to engage with each other.