Michael Ungar

5 New Year's Resolutions to Change your Work Environment for the Better

Michael Ungar - Dec 30, 2022, 8:09 AM

In January, lots of us will commit to making changes at work or in our careers. Unfortunately, most of us will feel like failures by March. Here are five effective strategies for changing your workplace and your career in ways that are likely to last until this coming December — at least. 

All of these resolutions share one thing in common: they remind us that we have to change the world around us if we want to make individual changes stick. Simply adapting to a bad workplace or a lousy career is not a long-term plan for success.

1. Look for opportunities to find a better supervisor, if needed

Good leadership can motivate us and bring out our best. Lousy leaders do the opposite. Before you accept full responsibility for your performance on the job, see if you can find a better supervisor.

2. Get to know your colleagues

A cohesive team will make it much easier for you to withstand turmoil in the workplace. If your New Year's resolution is to sell more or be more productive, try building a team atmosphere first. It's easier to achieve your goal when others are rooting for you.

3. Change your physical environment at work

If you're working too many hours or feel like your work is slowly wearing your body down, find ways to make the work environment healthier for your mental and physical wellbeing. If standing desks aren't your thing, then at the very least commit to taking more frequent short breaks or use your lunch time to get away from your desk and sit under a tree. There is plenty of research that shows our productivity improves when our workplace makes us feel better.

4. Retrain or increase your credentials

Look for the financial and human resources you need this year to keep growing. You're more likely to successfully improve your job prospects when you ask others to support you while you build your skills. Can your partner help? Are there government subsidies? Even downsizing your home for a time might make it easier to realize a promise you made to yourself.
 

5. Put aside some money for a Plan B

The best New Year's resolutions are those that are well resourced. If you can't achieve everything you want to achieve this year, at least build a little hidden capital so that you can make a bigger, more successful change next year.