Having the right workspace is crucial to productivity. Without the right environment, you’re more prone to stress, distraction, and overwhelm. Whether you’re running a small office, a big division, or a coworking space, here are some tips that can help you create a space that will mean more to your employees.
Sitting for long hours can be detrimental to one’s health and productivity. Make sure you are encouraging everyone to move by intentionally designing your office so that workers can get up and move once in awhile. For example, place the copier and water cooler on the opposite side of the room. It’s a great way to take a break and stretch from sitting too long.
Similarly, you can have a designated area where everyone can do some stretches and warmups. The most progressive companies even have their own gyms. They realize that employees who get their regular dose of endorphins also perform better at work.
Give your employees the freedom to personalize their space. This helps increase their emotional connection to their work. Of course, this should be done in moderation as you don’t want clutter to build up in your office. Encourage staff to put some personal touches to their desk such as a photo of their kids, their favorite mug, or a collage of things that inspire them.
When deciding on a palette, choose colors that work best with your workplace. Does your employees’ workday mostly consist of talking to customers? Colors yellow and orange may be great options as they evoke warmth and enthusiasm. Are your staff always handling difficult clients for most part of the day? You may benefit best by picking wallpapers in colors blue and green as these colors induce calm and peace.
You want your workspace to be as comfortable as possible to your employees. We don’t just mean installing super soft bean bags. We’re talking ergonomics as in the proper way that your body should be aligned when performing daily activities.
When it comes to office work, you want to think about whether your desks, chairs, computers, keyboards, and mouse are ergonomically friendly. Unsafe working conditions can affect people’s work. If your employee keeps banging their knee because there’s an extra leg on their desk standing between their way of sitting properly, you’ll be responsible for their hospital fees and the days where they can’t work because of an injury.
Coworking spaces are perfect examples of places that you should be emulating. These properties are invested in ensuring their customers are productive and they know what elements best contribute to an effective workplace. Standing desks, a conference room, unlimited high-quality coffee, the ability to bring pets -these are some common perks offered by coworking spaces.
Despite being open to the public, coworking spaces are able to maintain their integrity by having strict policies. For example, spaces like The Lab Miami have different membership tiers that allow select members to enjoy a specific set of benefits such as having a separate desk or access to gated parking. Other office spaces like WeWork require that you present proof of vaccination before you can take your pet in.
Your office should have these rules as well. It’s one way to ensure that everyone is able to work productively and feel safe in their workspace.
You’ll be surprised what big of a difference it makes to have natural light and some plants in your office. Natural sunlight keeps employees happy, alert, and focused so consider adding in those windows. Meanwhile, plants provide better quality and are just really nice to look at. Small changes, big impact.
What does the ideal workplace look like to you? Share your thoughts in the comments below.