A supportive place to work: the impact of positive affirmations

Does your business strive to improve employee mentality? In this article, we explore the impact positive affirmations can have on your employees and the benefits they can bring to the working environment.

5 mins read
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7 months ago

​​Maintaining a positive working environment is essential for both employee well-being and productivity.

A report released in 2020 by KPMG showed that 75% of senior women interviewed had personally experienced imposter syndrome at certain points in their careers. That's why it’s vital that leaders do what they can to help their team members feel more confident and empowered in their jobs.

In contrast to this, positive affirmations have the potential to improve self-esteem and resilience among employees, uplift spirits, and enhance motivation – counterbalancing imposter syndrome and helping to establish a positive work environment.

What are affirmations?

Affirmations, also referred to as positive affirmations, are phrases that, when repeated regularly, can change negative thoughts and behavior patterns. They are often used as a technique for self-improvement, but their benefits extend beyond individual growth to impact group dynamics and organizational culture. By repeating affirmations regularly, individuals can rewire their thought patterns, boost self-confidence, and cultivate a more optimistic outlook on life.

As a manager, implementing daily affirmations can go a long way to helping team members stay positive and achieve their goals – in both their professional and personal lives. They can be used in a number of ways, you might write one in a Teams chat to one of your team members, or maybe you want to praise them face to face in a meeting.

They may be displayed around the office as artwork, or even on a desktop when your team members log on to their computers. Wherever they are, they promote feelings of togetherness, give inspiration and encourage camaraderie.

What are some examples of positive affirmations for your workforce?

Try using affirmations similar to the ones below throughout your day. You may start to notice your team feeling more positive and motivated.

  • You are capable of handling any task that comes your way

  • You are a valuable asset to the team

  • You are deserving of all the success that comes your way

  • You’ve got this

  • Trust in your abilities and stay confident

  • I believe in you

  • You consistently achieve high standards of work

The power of positivity

In a professional setting, maintaining a positive atmosphere is crucial for employee morale, engagement, and ultimately, productivity. When employees feel valued and are optimistic about their work environment, they are more likely to perform at their best and contribute to the wider goals of the business.

Positive affirmations can make a difference in the workplace by:

Increasing motivation: they can serve as powerful motivators, inspiring employees to set and achieve goals, overcome obstacles, and strive for excellence in their work.

Enhancing resilience: in the face of challenges and setbacks, employees who regularly practice positive affirmations can better equip themselves to maintain a resilient mindset. This allows them to bounce back from adversity and approach challenges with a more constructive attitude.

Improving confidence: confidence is key to success at work. Affirmations help employees build self-confidence and self-belief, enabling them to take on new responsibilities, tackle difficult tasks, and assert themselves in professional settings.

Strengthening relationships: they promote a culture of appreciation and support, helping to create stronger relationships among team members and enhancing collaboration and communication across the business.

Integrating positive affirmations to support your employees

People are known to overanalyze themselves. Employers can take proactive steps to incorporate positive affirmations into their managerial routines to support their staff.  

Here are some strategies you could consider:

Provide training and resources

Offer workshops or training sessions to educate employees on the power of positive affirmations and how to incorporate them into their daily routines to help them counteract negative self-talk and build self-confidence.

Some individuals may benefit from more formal training, including leadership, communication, and coaching skills.

Lead by example

Managers and leaders should model positive behavior by considering the use of affirmations themselves before encouraging their teams to do the same. A supportive and optimistic leadership style sets the tone for the entire organization, giving some employees the inspiration they need to succeed.

Incorporate affirmations into meetings

Start meetings with a positive affirmation or encourage team members to share affirmations that resonate with them. It is also worth considering incorporating affirmations into company-wide communications, newsletters, or internal messaging platforms.

Affirmations should solely focus on celebrating achievements and strengths – and are a great way to show how much you value team members.

Create a positive work environment

An atmosphere of appreciation and recognition can make employees feel valued and respected. Be sure to celebrate achievements, acknowledge contributions, and provide constructive feedback to reinforce positive behavior and a spirit of togetherness.

Encourage employees to embrace their achievements and if need be, write them down. That way, when it comes to feeling a sense of doubt, all the proof is recorded.

Encourage self-care practices

Emphasize the importance of self-care and well-being by encouraging employees to take breaks, practice mindfulness, and engage in activities that promote mental and emotional health.

Where possible, task employees with practicing affirmations to boost their confidence. These affirmations should focus on their strengths, abilities, and potential. Positive affirmations have the power to transform the workplace by helping nurture employees and their optimism, resilience, and productivity.

Ultimately, investing in the well-being and positivity of employees is beneficial for both the individuals who need that extra layer of support and care and also for the overall success and sustainability of the organization.

In the workplace, if there’s a toxic work environment, affirmations alone will not address the root cause of the issue. This is why it’s important for managers to create an inclusive environment, with equality, diversity, inclusion, and belonging at the forefront of the culture.

Need help filling your vacancy, or finding a suitable role for you? Our specialist recruiters can help. Contact your nearest Reed office now.

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Scientific CV Template
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​If you are looking for your next position in the science industry, it is important to optimise and tailor your CV to give yourself the best possible chance of securing your dream role.

Build the perfect scientific CV with our free template below:

[Full Name]
[Home Address]
[Contact Number] • [Email Address]

Personal Statement

This section is your chance to summarise the rest of the CV, and convince the recruiter to get in touch. It is important to keep it brief, between 50-200 words and outline; who you are, any specific skills you have to offer (including ‘soft skills’) and your career aim.

Depending on the role, the key ‘soft skills’ employers are likely to look for include: communication, decision making, leadership skills, problem solving and being a team player. Be sure to reference your ability in these areas wherever possible in your CV.

I have gained valuable experience in [area of expertise] at [organisation name] and have a particular wealth of experience and skills in [specific area]. I graduated in [year] from [university name] with a [degree class] degree in [subject], and am now an [industry] professional.

My important achievements include working alongside the [team name] team at [organisation], and contributing to projects such as [project name]. I was responsible for/organised [task] and increased/decreased [profit/other metric] by [£X/X%].

I am looking for my next opportunity within an [business type/industry] organisation, where I can bring real value and develop my [scientific/research] skills further.


Education

This is your chance to talk about your qualifications, academic and vocational. This is a particularly important section for those with no relevant work experience. You should give detail about what you studied, where and when, and list them in chronological order. If you have many of one qualification, such as GCSEs you might find it useful to group them together.

  • [University Name]

  • [Date M/Y– Date M/Y]

Degree subject and class achieved (list Masters/PhD first)

  • Modules studied

  • Skills used

  • Dissertation brief

[College/School Name]
[Date M/Y– Date M/Y]

A-levels:

  • [Subject] – [Grade]

  • [Subject] – [Grade]

  • [Subject] – [Grade]

[College/School Name]
[Date M/Y– Date M/Y]

GCSEs:

  • [Number] GCSEs, grades [range], including Maths and English

Skills

This section is useful to clearly outline the laboratory/scientific skills you’ve gained at university or in industry. Include even minor relevant skills to increase your chances of being discovered in a CV database search.

Work experience
This should be brief and, as a general rule of thumb, focus on the last five years of your career, or last three roles, in chronological order with most recent at the top.

If you are a recent graduate then work experience should be listed before your degree details - if the work undertaken was relevant. If it was not relevant to your industry then list detailed degree/dissertation information first.

You should highlight your key achievements and use bullet points rather than lengthy descriptions.

[Job Title], [Company Name] [Location]
[Date M/Y- Date M/Y]

Achievements and responsibilities:

  • Brief role overview

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Hobbies and Interests

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References

References are available upon request.

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Coaching for intersectional inclusion

​Everyone has multiple layers to their identity, and no one is one label. There are other aspects of their identities to consider, and no one should be put in a box. Many businesses, which celebrate Pride Month, for example, are perceived as not doing enough for people who are underrepresented in more than one way.

Recent research by Culture Amp in ‘The Workplace Diversity and Inclusion Report 2024’ found disabled women and black women are more doubtful of their employers’ equality, diversity, inclusion and belonging (EDI&B) efforts than any other group.

This is likely because women might feel their entire identity and additional barriers aren’t being considered, if they are part of more than one underrepresented group. Some employers’ initiatives provide a base-level overview of inclusion for women, but they might only explore the perspectives of white women, for example, or women in general, with no specific solutions explored for LGBTQ+, disabled or black women, for instance. Each may have very different experiences of what it means to be a woman.

Coaching people within your organisation can help leaders and employees gain a deeper understanding of intersectionality and why it’s important. We interviewed Mary-Clare Race, CEO of Talking Talent, for her insight and best-practice tips on all things coaching and inclusion.

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Q: What's the difference between coaching, mentoring, and other types of training, especially when it comes to equality, diversity, inclusion and belonging?

A: These terms are often used interchangeably in the world of talent development, but we see a clear distinction between them that is especially important when it comes to EDI&B.

In a training situation, the primary goal is typically to transfer knowledge from the facilitator to the participant, to raise their awareness and understanding of a particular topic or skill and provide them with practical tips on how to put that skill into action for themselves.

In a mentoring situation, there is also an element of knowledge transfer, but in a more personalised, relationship based, one-to-one situation where the mentee is paired up with a more experienced mentor who is there to provide them with support, advice and guidance.

Coaching takes the relationship-based approach one step further and focuses on supporting and facilitating the coachee to actively step in and facilitate their own outcomes. It is not about giving them the answer but rather supporting them to find their own answer, their own way forward.

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Q: How can coaching help businesses become more inclusive and diverse?

A: If you look at what it takes to really move an organisation forward with their EDI&B strategy, we believe you've got to take a systemic approach and build inclusion into your culture a