As we head into 2025, the way we work is evolving faster than ever. But one thing that will never go out of style is positive behaviour in the workplace.

Here in Queensland, where people value community, collaboration, and honesty, the secret to success lies in fostering the right culture, one that prioritises respect, integrity, and accountability.

Over my years of leading large, geographically dispersed teams, I’ve learned that building a positive workplace culture isn’t just about hitting targets or achieving KPIs. It’s about how we treat each other, how we face challenges, and, crucially, how we work together.

I’ve seen firsthand that teams who embrace positive behaviours can achieve incredible things. But on the flip side, negativity can derail even the most well-oiled machine, seemingly overnight.

Integrity and Respect: The Core of Great Teams

A positive workplace starts with integrity and respect. You can’t build trust in a team if people don’t feel respected. For me, this isn’t just about saying the right things, it’s about following through on your promises, being transparent in your actions, and creating an environment where people feel safe.

Respect isn’t just top-down; it goes in every direction. It means listening when someone has a different opinion, valuing their perspective, and knowing that every person in the room brings something unique to the table.

In 2025, teams are going to be more diverse and dynamic than ever, and respect will be the key to unlocking that potential. If we want people to bring their best selves to work, we’ve got to respect who they are, full stop.

Positivity: The Fuel for Progress

Positivity is one of the most underrated yet powerful behaviours in the workplace. I’m not talking about blind optimism, but the kind of can-do attitude that keeps teams moving forward, even when things get tough.

When a challenge comes up, and they always do, the teams that succeed are the ones that stay solution-focused.

In my experience, negativity can spread like wildfire and kill momentum. That’s why it’s so important to champion positivity and call out negativity when it appears. Teams need to feel like they can overcome obstacles, not be weighed down by problems.

When leaders model this attitude, it becomes contagious, suddenly, everyone is looking for solutions instead of getting bogged down in complaints.

Accountability: Own It

If there’s one behaviour that separates high-performing teams from the rest, it’s accountability. I’ve always believed in creating a culture where people take ownership of their work, both the successes and the setbacks.

It’s not about finding someone to blame when things go wrong; it’s about stepping up, taking responsibility, and fixing it.

Accountability is going to be more important than ever. We’re moving towards more flexible, autonomous workplaces, which means people need to be trusted to manage their own work. That only works when everyone holds themselves accountable.

When you know you can rely on your team to get the job done, and they know the same of you, it creates a culture of trust and reliability that’s hard to beat.

Empathy and Connection: The Human Element

At the end of the day, work is about people. Empathy is one of the most important positive behaviours we can nurture in the workplace. It’s what turns a group of employees into a team.

When you take the time to understand where someone is coming from, what challenges they’re facing, or what they need to succeed, you build stronger connections.

This isn’t just “soft stuff”. Empathy drives better teamwork, better communication, and better results. And in a world that’s increasingly digital and remote, maintaining that human connection is more important than ever. We need to make the effort to check in with each other, not just about work but about how we’re doing as people.

Teams that care about each other perform better, it’s as simple as that.

A Zero-Tolerance Approach to Negativity

There’s no place for toxic behaviour in the workplace. I’ve seen great teams brought down by just a few bad attitudes, and I’ve learned that it’s essential to tackle negativity head-on.

We need to adopt a zero-tolerance approach to behaviours that bring teams down. That doesn’t mean being harsh or punitive, it means setting clear expectations and holding everyone to them. If we allow negative behaviour to fester, it erodes the culture we’re trying to build.

It’s about creating an environment where people feel comfortable calling out negativity, knowing they’ll be supported in fostering a positive culture.

Positive Behaviours, Positive Results

The future of work will be shaped by the behaviours we choose to champion. Positive workplace behaviours are not just a nice-to-have – they’re essential for building strong, connected, and successful teams. It’s about creating an environment where respect, positivity, accountability, and empathy are the norms, not the exceptions.

When we focus on positive behaviours, we empower people to do their best work. And when we refuse to tolerate negativity, we protect the culture that allows teams to thrive. In the end, the success of any organisation comes down to its people, and how they treat each other.

Because when we get the behaviours right, everything else falls into place.