Work Environment

 

Have you ever walked into a workplace (private or governmental) and told yourself that you are glad you don't work there? The environment is dingy and just not very pleasing for a number of different reasons.

In the area that I live, we once had such a place; it was called the Department of Motor Vehicles Licensing office. To label the office miserable does not begin to describe the office conditions, not to mention the large numbers of county citizens using this location. The customer service being provided by the employees working there were certainly a reflection of their work environment. Many of the office people would try but one could see how truly difficult it was.

Then one day I had a need to visit the new DMV location. It was a trip I had performed a few times before with my boys. This visit would be another one to help my son get his drivers learner permit. I was bracing from the pain and misery of standing in long, uncoordinated lines and just a rotten day.

To my surprise, the new location was a huge transformation, not only in atmosphere but in the spirit of the employees. Things ran much smoother, much quicker and with much less tension. Efficiency is most times joked upon when it comes to governmental services. But do not forget government employees are people are just like you and me. Think about how well might perform if you had a poor work environment.

A pleasant and well designed work location will be reflected in your employees. This means more efficiency through out the workplace.

• Efficiency gains translate into a more stable work force.
• Efficiency gains translate into a more satisfied customer.
• Efficiency gains translate into dollars.

Think about where you work and what that work environment is like. Are you regulated about having a plant on your desk or have such poor lighting that you couldn't keep a plant alive?

If the environment is tiring and displeasing, a change needs to occur. As an employer you need to recognize it. As an employee you need to make sure your employer knows it. It boils down to an environment where the customer, employee and business owner all benefit.

A report from the Whole Building Design Guide (WBDG) Productive Committee discusses the costs of a great work environment and what the potential payback is. You can read the article at http://www.wbdg.org/design/productive.php.

There are five principles of productive building designs that I'm quoting from this article;

• Promote Health and Well-Being

Indoor environments strongly affect human health. A productive workplace should be designed to support and enhance the health and well-being of its occupants.

• Provide Comfortable Environments

A workplace designed and operated to provide the highest achievable levels of visual, acoustic, and thermal comforts for its occupants is the underpinning of worker productivity.

• Design for the Changing Nature of Work

Providing spaces with flexibility and technology to promote new ways of working is a cornerstone of change and innovation.

• Integrate Technological Tools

Effectively integrating technological tools and distribution networks required in today's office environments to enable workers to perform their duties starts first and foremost with properly designed pathways and spaces.

• Assure Reliable Systems and Spaces

Reliability is one of the greatest concerns for building occupants—it directly affects their safety, health, and comfort. Workers must be able to rely on building systems, equipment, and tools that function consistently and are properly maintained.

So take some steps - make some changes - shake up the atmosphere and see what happens. Because sitting still and doing nothing will leave you behind everyone else that are moving on and getting ahead. Change the work environment from one of working in the sludge pits to one that creates a great environment.  Unless of course you actually do work in a sludge pit, which means a different article for discussion.

Stay inspired my friends.

Natures Force

"When defeat comes, accept it as a signal that your plans are not sound, rebuild those plans, and set sail once more toward your coveted goal." -Napolean Hill

Wow! Did you see the video of the tornado activity in the Dallas, Texas area? The scenes of nature's destructive force tossing and tearing apart the landscape were amazing. I was awestruck by the video of the tractor trailers being tossed like children's toys.



This force of nature is not something you can control once it gets moving. We simply have to allow it to run it's course and clean up afterwards. It is very much like life when it starts to spin out of control for us. We get caught up in the spinning effect of destructive events.

Choices, Not Mistakes

There are certainly things one can do in life but many times we fail to see what is happening. All of a sudden we have been swirled and lifted to a dangerous height. That moment comes when we drop hard, down through the funnel of our bad choices. And those are bad choices and not mistakes.

There is a difference and an example of that is Tiger Woods and his self created ordeal. Author Andy Andrews related a story he had heard in a radio interview in which Woods talked about mistakes he had made. Andy says that good advice would tell Woods he had made choices, not mistakes. “There’s a big difference,” Andrews said, adding: “It’s about living in the truth. Only then can there be a reset.”

Once we hit the ground, what we find is the destruction we left behind. The pieces of our life are scattered about the ground. At that singular moment we are alone. But like a natural disaster, people will come into the picture, willing to help you rebuild. All you have to do is accept their help and guidance. We can start to "reset" our lives at this point.

Eternal Optimism

I am an eternal optimist and it is very cliche to say this, but the sun will cast its wondrous gaze upon you once again. The blue sky will open up and reveal that there are no limits to what you can accomplish in life. Even after the destruction we can cause in our lives, we can rebuild once again. We can "reset" our lives and move forward.

When you get caught up in the destructive forces of nature, of bad choices, know that after the fall there will be others to help you pick up the pieces. Together the rebuilding will happen so believe in yourself, believe in Mr. Blue Sky.

Stay inspired my friends.

Living Without

"It's amazing what you can do without, once you've done without." -Andy Penick

Okay, I have quoted a friend this morning but I make no excuses for it. You probably know a person like my friend Andy. You have possibly been a person like Andy. I know that I have been there and been amazed after the fact.

Each of us have driven ourselves towards success in life. We are supposed find the perfect job, the perfect salary, and the perfect rise to stardom. The world tells us we add in a perfect marriage, a perfect church and a perfectly average 3.2 kids.

There should be the big house in which everyone gets their own bedroom. A two car garage to hold two cars that are no older than two-years in age. There is possibly a boat, two family vacations and a yearly anniversary trip. And since we are living this way, the best in clothing and jewelry.

As we gather and grab for even more, we work harder and harder to keep the money flowing in. At this point, it is not successful living but living to look successful which has occurred. Don't take this wrong, success is great and all of the "things" that come with it.

What happens is when you are working to look successful, life can happen. It becomes a very difficult juggling act and some things end up crashing down to the ground. Living what appears to be a successful life will soon consume each of us. It can be very overwhelming and than it all falls and what you thought you "could not live without" is gone.

You are now faced with a new normal, which means not having all of those things. Your life is forcibly readjusted. You might fight it at first. Eventually you realize that you really didn't need all of those things. You begin to focus once again on the important things in life.

Your church, your health, your relationships, your kids and your friends. The material things are not what made you whom you are. You are you and you will be amazed at what you can do without. Even having the perfect church, perfect relationships, or perfect life is found to be less important.

You can not expect perfection in life because life itself is imperfect. What you can expect is how you will react and respond to those imperfections. You will find that it does not take a whole lot of material things in life to have a fulfilled life.

Without the burden of "keeping up appearances" you will find life in much better order. Your church, your spouse, your family and friends will seem so much greater. You will be so much greater. Life will begin to come back into alignment for you.

I have been through it, my friend Andy has been through it and each of you have been through it (or will probably go through it). Once you have come through this life lesson, that is when you will find what real success is. The things that truly matter in life will fill your world. You will not be "living without."

Stay inspired my friends.

Expect It, Anticipate It

“There is no medicine like hope, no incentive so great, and no tonic so powerful as expectation of something better tomorrow.” -Orison Swett Marden

Expectation - as defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary is;

Main Entry: ex·pec·ta·tion
Pronunciation: \ˌek-ˌspek-ˈtā-shən, ik-\

1: the act or state of expecting : anticipation
2: something expected; basis for expecting; assurance; prospects of inheritance —usually used in plural
3: the state of being expected
4: expectancy; expected value

The 'act or state of expecting' of something different or 'anticipation' of something that could happen in your life. Each of us should and do have expectations of an event or change happening for us.

You should have anticipation of change occurring; it is why you dream and set goals in your life. So many times we set these goals or dream of something grand, only to never take it the next step.

The step is 'expecting' that it will happen by speaking into your own thoughts that you will accomplish it. I am not here to say that is all you have to do and that all dreams will come true. But if you don't believe or 'expect' it to happen, you will never step towards attempting to capture it.

It is similar to those that play the lottery. Your chances of winning the previous Mega Millions $540 million jackpot was 1 in 176 million. With those odds, you are five times more likely to get hit by lightening. But most will also say that "you can't win at all unless you actually play." So before I go on, note that I am not saying run out and play the lottery.

What I am saying is that without expectation of something occuring in your life, without stepping out towards change, nothing will occur. You will not achieve anything if you do not expect to achieve by stepping out in change. Expecting that you will win the lottery does not mean you will win it. But you have to engage in life in order to have a chance at anything.

Expect greater things for your self, expect that you will achieve more in your life. Then step out and cause movement in your life. And of course, stay inspired my friends.