Positive Workspaces: 10 Blogs on Healthy Workplace Practices 

The work of advocacy can be draining, but your workplace doesn’t have to be. In an ideal world, your job wouldn’t stress you out and going to work would be a fulfilling, positive experience. Although that isn’t generally our reality, there are many ways to help cultivate a healthier workplace, so you don’t go home stressed every day. Even the most progressive, transparent, and collaborative organizations have room to grow and evolve.

That’s why we’ve gathered 10 of our most practical, insightful blogs to help you foster more positive workspaces.

How to Navigate Institutional Trauma 

Institutional trauma is a profound issue that can affect organizations and their employees at various levels. It occurs when systemic practices, policies, and workplace cultures unintentionally cause harm or trigger distress among employees. This article explores the concept of institutional trauma, its impact on individuals and organizations, and provides valuable insights on how to recognize, address, and prevent it through trauma-informed care practices.

Boundary Setting 101: 5 Tips for Building a Positive Work Environment 

Do you ever find it hard to stay positive and supportive at work? You’re not alone. Building a positive work environment takes commitment, but it's worth the effort. The key to a more positive workplace is strong and healthy boundaries – those invisible lines that determine acceptable behavior, interactions, and expectations. 

Workplace boundaries guide your interactions and ensure mutual respect and understanding between coworkers. In this blog, we'll explore the importance of professional boundaries. Through practical tips and insights, you’ll learn how to help create a positive work environment for everyone, grounded in respect, collaboration, and mutual support. 

The Power of Human-Centered Management: Empowering People 

Close your eyes and envision: a workplace that feels more like a supportive community than a corporate machine. An environment where your unique skills are nurtured, your opinions are respected, and your wellbeing is a top priority. You’re part of a team where everyone feels valued, heard, and inspired to give their best.  That's the power of human-centered management – it creates a culture where people don't just work; they thrive. 

At RAFT, we’ve seen firsthand how this approach transforms how we connect and collaborate. When you put your people at the heart of everything you do, amazing things happen. Engagement soars, creativity thrives, and success follows. Human-centered management isn’t just a vision; it’s a practice leaders can embrace today – and we're excited to share its secrets with you! 

Urgency Culture: Understanding It’s Impact on Decision Making and Performance 

Racing from one task to another, feeling overwhelmed by the workload? Rest assured, you’re not the only one. Flooded inboxes demanding immediate responses, back-to-back meetings, and tasks that pile higher with every passing moment create relentless pressure to treat everything as urgent!

But there’s an important distinction between true urgency and perceived urgency – and knowing the difference is a must for both productivity and mental well-being. This piece explores how urgency culture impacts decision-making and performance, while offering practical tips to help you spot false urgency and manage the pressures it creates.

Apologies at Work: Growth & Resilience 

Can you recall a time at your job when a genuine apology at work made a noticeable impact? It might have diffused tension, healed a strained relationship, or simply rebuilt trust after a difficult moment. Apologies are more than just words — they're powerful tools that shape workplace dynamics and spark personal growth. 

In this article, we will examine how apologies can significantly transform your workplace interactions. We'll explore how apologies can nurture resilience, fortify relationships, and foster a positive work environment. 

The Invisible Load: Non-Promotable Tasks and The Burden on Women 

Picture this: You’re in a team meeting when your manager brings up a task that needs to be assigned. It’s not particularly difficult, but it’s tedious, and time-consuming. There’s an awkward silence as everyone avoids eye contact, hoping someone else will step up. The pause stretches just long enough to feel uncomfortable—until finally, someone breaks the tension: “I can take care of it.” 

This is the invisible load of non-promotable tasks - work that too often falls on women, adding pressure without reward. Read on to unpack the hidden costs and find ways to break the cycle.

Harnessing the Power of Gratitude in the Workplace 

Gratitude may seem simple, but in the workplace it can be transformative. A culture of appreciation not only boosts morale -- it strengthens relationships, fuels collaboration, and helps teams thrive. In this blog post, we will explore what gratitude in the workplace means, why it’s so beneficial, and how you can weave it into daily practice through small, simple steps. Finally, we'll wrap up with some key takeaways on why cultivating gratitude in the workplace should be part of every organization's mission statement! 

Creating A Recharge Space for Your Advocates: An Investment for Workplace Well-being 

Advocacy work moves fast - tight deadlines, long meetings, and constant communication are the norm. That’s why ensuring staff well-being must be top priority. One effective way to support your team is by providing a dedicated recharge space. These rooms provide a space within the office for employees to recharge their physical and mental energy and well-being.

This kind of oasis offers immense benefits, not only for your team's well-being but also for overall productivity and job satisfaction. In this blog post, we explore why leadership should create a recharge space for their team and how it can make a substantial difference in your workplace culture.  

How to Bust Workplace Tolerations 

Tolerations are devious. They often fly under our radar and go unnoticed. Other times we do notice them, but brush them off with a, “I’ll get to that later,” or “It’s not a big deal; I’m not going to worry about it.” Unfortunately, we rarely have just one or two tolerations. You probably have a whole bunch. Each one barely registers in your mind, but when they all add up, they are stealing a surprising amount of your energy, frustrating you, and stressing you out.

Think of tolerations like phantom power in your electronics: that little light glowing even when the device is off. It seems harmless, but over time, it’s draining power. This article shows you how to spot those hidden tolerations and start clearing them out so you can reclaim your energy and focus.

Build a More Positive Workplace: 6 Ways to Create an Appreciative Mindset 

An appreciative mindset is an approach to thinking and problem-solving that shifts the focus to positive experiences, strengths, opportunities, and potential—rather than dwelling on negatives, deficits, and problems. 
RAFT began building an appreciative mindset in 2022 through an appreciative inquiry facilitation during our strategic planning process. Since then, we’ve used it to uncover what belonging means for our team and to guide ongoing organizational growth. Along the way, we’ve learned that large-scale facilitations matter, but smaller everyday practices can be just as powerful. This article shares six of those bite-sized strategies to help you bring an appreciative mindset into your own workplace.

Creating a positive workplace doesn’t happen overnight.. it’s built through small, intentional practices that support both people and organizations. Whether it’s setting boundaries, fostering gratitude, or carving out space to recharge, these strategies remind us that advocates deserve workplaces that sustain them, not drain them. We hope these articles give you practical tools and fresh inspiration to help make that vision a reality.