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Design Your Office to Bring Out the Best in Your Employees

If you want to create and grow a successful company, you need motivated, productive employees. So, what’s the secret to keeping your employees happy? The key is to maintain a great work environment.

The design of an office is hugely important for all the staff, physically, mentally and physiologically. The majority of a working week is usually spent in the office so it’s important to get it right. You should endeavour to use your office to bring the best out of your staff. Even subtle changes can take your company to the next level. So, how can you improve your company’s work environment?

 

Make sure there’s enough natural light

An environment with more natural light is likely to ensure workers sleep better and longer according to research. It’s also likely to boost your employee’s productivity and wellbeing, helping to enjoy a slightly better quality of life. On the other hand, poor lighting can cause significant levels of eyestrain, blurred vision and headaches. None of these contribute to a healthy, productive work environment.

Unless your office is down in the basement, one simple solution is to station desks within 8 metres from any windows. Another tip is to incorporate glass walls or partitions to allow light to pass though, reducing the need for artificial lighting.

Keep it tidy

A cluttered environment damages our productivity. Working in a clean office can have tremendous effects on the interactions between co-workers and managers.

This may seem obvious but keeping the office in shape and attractive is integral to a happy working environment. It restricts our ability to focus, and makes it frustrating to find items and can hinder creativity. Broken chairs, or furniture has the potential to lower morale. Make sure you invest in keeping the office in tip top condition. For instance, a rack or hanger to store jackets and umbrellas instantly declutters each person’s workspace.

Get a plant

It’s a good idea to consider implementing even the smallest change, such as letting nature have a presence in your office. A potted plant here or there can help bring a certain calmness to your office, without detracting from any professionalism.

Colour scheme

Why not set the mood with colour? It’s proven that certain colours can have psychological effects on people. It can affect our moods, sports performances and even purchasing decisions amongst other behaviours. When you choose a colour for your office you should determine what colours will inspire what moods in your office, such as soft colours like blue can have a calming effect.

Effective breakout space

It might be worth considering designing parts of your office with plenty of enclosed spaces for people to take a break from their desk. This is help employees to unwind — don’t forget employees need breaks away from their desks and need to have some form of social interaction. They can collaborate and communicate in a private environment, without having everyone else listen in. Encouraging them to make use of these spaces boosts their creativity and productivity, not to mention increases staff satisfaction at the same time.

Refreshments

Businesses are trying different tactics to increase happiness and productivity, and different methods can improve offices up and down the country. One of the simplest ideas is to give staff access to lovely hot beverages through an onsite machine. This shows staff that the business has their best interest, especially when they are able to offer a variety of beverages. It’s nice to know there is a hot drink for everyone in the office.

Small or large, any business is likely to benefit, as employees will recognise the help they are receiving. They will no longer need to go outside and visit their local chain cafe, and can now spend that time being productive at work. Healthy eating is also vital to wellness within the office. As an employer, offer fruit in the breakout areas or why not have a healthy vending machine with dried fruits, soups and juices.

With these tips in mind, you can start to create a healthy and attractive office in which you and your employees can do your best work.

Author – AlexJonesHallam

Article Source – http://www.businesszone.co.uk/community/blogs/alexjoneshallam/design-your-office-to-bring-out-the-best-in-your-employees