A work environment consists of the conditions that you spend your professional time in. There is a wide variety of healthy workplace environments available that cater to different preferences and values. Not every work environment is beneficial, and a negative situation can seriously harm productivity. Work environments differ individually in the factors that they provide and lack. Below are examples of 6 different kinds of common work environments:

1. The 9-to-5 environment. When people think about what defines a work environment, the traditional 9-to-5 is often where the mind wanders. It’s the day that begins with going into the office at 9 in the morning and leaving when the sun sets at 5. This continues for a five-day workweek.A company that employs a 9-to-5 schedule is usually strict about other aspects of work-life, such as dress code and a specific protocol for handling workloads. Although this is one of the most common work environments, it’s a difficult schedule to keep. Most people who work in the 9-to-5 often prefer an alternative because it doesn’t allow much room for individual employee contribution.
2. The flexible environment. The flexible work environment is the polar opposite of the traditional 9-to-5. It gives employees the freedom to customize their work schedule, hours, and space however they like, as long as they get their work in on time and well.This type of work environment focuses on the fact that each employee is an individual who knows for themselves what work environment works best for them. The flexible work environment may sound like perfection, but it requires employees to have a great deal of self-discipline. If you’re unable to accomplish all your work without having a supervisor watch you, a flexible work environment probably isn’t the right fit for you.
3. The degrading environment. A degrading work environment focuses on getting the best productivity out of its employees by scaring them into submission. Rather than discussing poor behavior or a decline in work quality to further mutual understanding, they implement punishments to discourage this.Additionally, a degrading work environment does not recognize its employees for their accomplishments. This creates a system of workers who are putting forth maximum effort in the hopes that they don’t get penalized. While this may work for a short amount of time, it quickly leads to high employee turnover.
4. The constructive feedback environment. Coworkers and supervisors witness your work performance daily and gather a lot of productive insights during that time. In a constructive feedback environment, this feedback is seen as a valuable tool for improving overall team performance.In contrast to a degrading environment, the constructive feedback environment doesn’t belittle an employee for making a mistake on the job. Instead, it turns it into an opportunity to upgrade their performance. This creates a professional domain where employees feel comfortable to work freely.
5. The competitive environment. Most people are familiar with the feeling of competing with their peers for the achievement of first place. In a work environment, this often occurs in the form of offering raises, promotions, or other incentives to the highest performing employees.The competitive work environment does foster a sense of urgency to excel in some team members, but it can make others crumble under pressure. Depending on the industry, a competitive work environment is implemented to weed out these individuals who won’t excel under the stress of competition.
6. The collaborative environment. A collaborative environment uses each employee’s unique strengths to off-set the team’s inevitable weaknesses. In this type of work circumstance, the employees of a company see themselves as a cohesive unit and function as one to create the best outcome.Collaborative environments function well because they requires a lot of strong communication, which creates a space for open dialogue between employees and their supervisors.

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