”I've been working for nearly 30 years for different employers, and we've never talked about the atmosphere. It hasn't felt necessary. This was the first time I've ever been coached on the subject. And I have to thank you now - it was a gift!”
The above is an anonymised quote from spontaneous feedback I received at a coaching session. The topic of the coaching was atmosphere - why it is important, what it means, how to build it. We are used to talking about results and what we do when we talk about work and the work community, but it is still sadly common for atmosphere not to be on the agenda. It is thought of as a haze, dim lighting, candle flames and the waft of incense. Not work-related.
The fact is that the atmosphere is a real talking point. I would venture to say that atmosphere and related issues are a major factor behind all the hard results.1. The atmosphere in which work is done has a direct impact on the quantity and quality of the work, which in turn determines the outcome. A good atmosphere is proven2 (and almost everyone's own experience) means that you have more energy to do things, the quality of what you do is better, and even your own brain works better. These often lead directly to better results than a bad mood, which causes aversion to the work and the interaction required to achieve the results.
Since at least the 1980s, psychologists have been studying the impact of happiness and good mood on doing. One of the pioneering studies is that led by Alice Isen, which examined the impact of good mood on problem-solving ability. Subjects were given a cork board on the wall, a box of pins, a candle and a match, and instructed to light the candle using the tools provided on the board so that the stearin would not spill onto the floor or table. The basic group was simply given these tools and instructions, and 10 minutes to complete the task. In the time allotted, only 13 % completed the task. One of the control groups was shown a 5-minute comedy film before the task to put them in a good mood. Of this group, 75 % subjects completed the task. The conclusion of the study was that most of this difference was due to the mood of the subjects at the start of the task. Even if only half or a third of the 62 percentage point improvement could be explained by a good mood, this is still a very significant difference. This is one result from one study, but time and time again different studies show that good mood has a direct impact on the quality of what you do.
The atmosphere creates memories
Another reason why atmosphere matters is quite mundane. It is perhaps best summed up by the late American writer Maya Angelou when she said. ”People forget what you said. They forget what you did. But they will never forget how you made them feel.”. The more time passes, the harder it is to remember the actions and words of individuals, but we can almost always describe how we feel about a person based on how they made us feel. Was it pleasant to work with them, did I have to be on my guard all the time, did we get things done together? The same applies to work communities - over time we remember the atmosphere in the community and this affects our judgements and our spoken thoughts about the community.
The atmosphere is not a fluff and not just external factors. The mood of a community is made up of recurring and persistent emotions that, over time, become part of the culture. My own background includes a culture of a caring atmosphere, a culture of a pressured atmosphere and a culture of an energetic atmosphere in different work communities. In all of these, I got results at more or less my own level - but in what time, with what number of mistakes and at what personal cost varied.
Smart management understands that a genuinely good atmosphere allows for better results and for the club not to be squeezed so that the best performers start to crack under pressure, one by one. It is possible to influence the atmosphere. It is owned not only by management, but also by every employee in the company. If you are concerned about the performance of your company, it is also worth spending a few thoughts on how the atmosphere affects the level of work we do. This is where we can help, if necessary.
If there's one thing you remember from this text, it's that mood really does matter. If you want to remember more than one thing, remember the reasons why mood matters: 1) mood directly affects the level of doing and 2) mood leaves the longest memory.
And how do you develop that atmosphere? We'd love to tell you more! Contact us and let's talk more.
Ps. The solution to Alice Isen's test was to empty the box of pins, attach it to a cork board and light a candle in the box.
Find out more about the topic, for example through the following publications:
1 Ahveinainen, Gylling and Leino in their book ”Viiden Tähden Asiakaskokemus” (Chamber of Commerce 2017), p.32.
2 Isen, Daubman & Nowicki 1987, Positive Affect Facilitates Creative Problem Solving. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 1987 vol 52 no 6. 1122-1131. https://www.factorhappiness.at/downloads/quellen/S11_Isen.pdf
