According to the Harvard Business Review, when observing Facebook’s work environment, allowing employees to organize and design their workspace leads to better performance. The reality is, where you work, affects your mood and how you perform. If your office design is still tight cubicles in stuffy, dark rooms, chances are you feel exhausted by 10 am. If the office space is airy, light, and designed for collaboration, hours fly by, and performance is at its best. For better motivation, these few tweaks can transform your office into an energy-filled, productive space.
1. Improve the lighting
According to a piece written for the online MBA program at the University of North Carolina, exposure to light improves mood, alleviates stress, and increases energy. Allowing plenty of natural light to flow into the office will help employees to be more productive when their energy levels and focus goes up. You can achieve this by bringing in the workspace to the centre of the room, so no desks are obstructing the windows. If bringing in natural light is not possible, you can incorporate blue-enriched light bulbs in every room to increase energy and work performance.
2. Go green
An essay published by Terrapin Bright Green LLC, ‘The Economics of Biophilia,’ implies that humans need to connect with nature failure to which all aspects of their lives are affected negatively. The concept of integrating humans with nature is proven to reduce stress, enhance employee’s moods, and increase creativity.
Adding live plants in every corner of the office is a perfect way to integrate nature in the office space. Employees can also buy live flowers for their desks and change them regularly. Indoor water walls and fountains are also significant design techniques to bring nature to the office. You can mount a beautiful water fountain in the middle of the room where everyone can see and hear it. Not only is water relaxing, but it also creates a peaceful ambience in the office.
3. Allow personalization
Dr Craig Knight, a chartered psychologist, says that people are most productive in spaces where they recognize themselves. People need to express their personalities in different ways, even at their workplace. Personalized space could mean allowing family photos on the desks, art pieces on the wall, and design ideas for the specific area. Your workspace should reflect who you are and bring you peace and serenity as you work.
Personalization also means allowing employees to control their environment. Modern offices will enable an individual to control temperature or ventilation in their space without affecting the others. It would help if you also had personalized control over lighting because people react differently to different light.
4. Decluttering
According to a study done by UCLA, clutter and mess at home or the workplace leave one feeling tired, anxious, and overwhelmed. Regular office space comes with multiple desks or cubicles, printing area, filing cabinet, and water area. All this can make the office feel stuffy and overwhelming.
Decluttering the main workspace is an excellent way to increase productivity by allowing in more air and light into the room. For instance, the filing cabinet can go to another place or have a separate filing room. You can also move the printers and photocopiers to the filing room while water and coffee go to the kitchen. Without all the extra clutter in the room, employees will have more air and be free to walk to another place, which is good for their bodies.
5. Provide a diversity of workspaces
Over the last decade, companies like Google, Facebook, and Microsoft have changed the way people work. Today, employees don’t have to be cooped up on their desk from 8 to 5 pm. Collaboration and work autonomy is the in thing now.
Offices that encourage the movement of employees to support teamwork and collaboration see more productivity. When employees are clear on their targets, they work together to deliver over and above your expectations.
There is no refuting that employees need a desk where they can retreat and finish their work. However, you can also allow them to stretch their legs in the lounge as they work, meet in the conference room for some deliberation, or even kick some balls to relax. Some of these offices have a furnished backyard where employees can meet to discuss work over a cup of coffee while enjoying the fresh air.
Changing the office space to be more employee-friendly is as crucial as creating a safe and positive work environment. Little details such as green plants, exposed ceilings, large open windows, and frameless glass all add up to a place where employees look forward to coming and never leaving.