Everyone has days when they don’t feel very enthusiastic or particularly creative about their work, and in many ways that can be perfectly normal. Many people have a little downturn in their energy from time to time, perhaps towards the end of the week or the end of a hard-working month.
It’s important that a good work/life balance is maintained so that individuals can bring a healthy and fulfilling personal life into the workplace and use that positivity for innovation and invention. A creative industry thrives on such positivity, and this can come from a number of places.
Being comfortable outside the working environment
People who have a good home and family life are generally less tense than those who may be having relationship problems, and even though the workplace may be stressful at times, the positive outlook from one’s personal life can allow the creative juices to flow. It helps if the job is enjoyable, and most people who work in the creative industries get into the business because that’s what they really want to do. If they are then encouraged to create freely, this can make a real difference to the workplace atmosphere and have a beneficial effect on other employees.
Other things that can have a positive impact on well-being include being surrounded by friends, taking regular exercise and eating a healthy diet. Leisure pursuits can also contribute to feeling and being positive at work, helping to ensure high levels of creativity can be put into projects. Maintaining a rosy outlook on life has many creative benefits.
When things go wrong
One down day in the workplace is understandable, but if the down times appear to continue, then there may be problems ahead. This is where a creative business needs to try to assess what the problem or problems affecting a particular employee may be.
Someone who is showing evidence of work that is inadequate, producing results that are later than expected or agreed upon, or displaying a lack of creative flair may be suffering from the effect of a negative lifestyle. This matters to the business because it can affect the quality of work produced, potentially having a negative impact on the how the business is perceived by clients and customers. There is also the possibility of an employee being a danger to fellow colleagues if the behaviour becomes more extreme.
Causes and solutions
Talking to an employee who seems to be in trouble is important to try to get to the bottom of things. It may not always work, especially if the individual is in denial about a problem.
Certainly a poor home life may contribute a person’s feelings of negativity, but it could be that there is a problem with substance or alcohol abuse. No business can put up with poor performance for long, and many organisations are putting methods into the workplace to help them identify problems of abuse. Using a simple oral fluid lab test, for example, can help identify the root cause and allow a solution to be found.
Solutions will often depend on a company’s policies. It is possible that there could be a policy in place for mandatory dismissal if an employee is found to be taking illegal drugs. However, some companies want to work to help people with problems, especially if in the past their work has been creative and to a high standard.
Checks and balances
Businesses are entirely within their rights to keep their employees safe, so if something does seem to be going wrong with an individual, carrying out checks and making a balanced decision as to the way forward can be helpful for everyone involved.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_Y-T_guM1I
