How Investing in Office Design Can Improve Productivity and Wellness
The impact of office design on productivity and overall employee wellbeing should not be overlooked. While many are spending less time in the office as part of a remote or hybrid work model, business owners will find that investing in the office environment can encourage staff back into the office. In doing so, not only can this have positive effects on employee productivity, it can also keep staff morale high and demonstrate to your employees that you are taking the time and effort to invest in their wellbeing. Here are a few simple but effective changes that could be made to your office space.
Ergonomic Design
One of the best changes to make is to invest in ergonomic design. Ergonomic office chairs positioned at least 50 cm from a computer screen and screens at eye level are basic elements of ergonomic design that can provide a safe and comfortable work environment for your team. Ergonomic design can make a big difference to productivity as well as protect your staff against problematic issues like eye strain, RSI and back pain. By taking steps to minimize the risk of health issues affecting your employees during their working day, especially those who may suffer from chronic pain, you will no doubt see a happier, more comfortable workforce.
Clear Space
Clutter can have a big impact on mood, productivity and morale. A cluttered work environment is a stressful one, which is why you want to find ways to clear space in the office and keep everything neat and organized. Something as simple as cable management can be hugely important in creating a clear workspace, for example you could feed cables through holes in desks, which can be reinforced with wire strain relief to tidy cables away for a neater look. This is also helpful in terms of preventing damage to your cables. Additionally, you want employees to have enough space on their desks so that they can make it their own with photos and personal items such as ornaments and plants, so that they feel that their presence and the things that are important to them as individuals are important to you as an employer as well.
Other Facilities
You should not neglect the other facilities in the office as well. You should have a kitchen area with high-quality appliances and a chill-out area where staff can relax, recharge and enjoy time together. Comfortable furniture, office plants and good-quality food and drink facilities are key to creating this ideal wellness space.
Color
Much like decorating the home, you also need to carefully consider the colors that you decorate with. Color can have a big impact on mood, which in turn can impact productivity. You do not want anything too bold for a workplace, but greens and blues are said to improve productivity while yellows can enhance creativity. You can also add style and visual appeal by adding artwork, photos and wall accessories.
These are a few simple yet effective improvements that you can make to your office environment that can make a big difference to productivity and wellness within your employees. You should also find that positive changes like this can also encourage staff to come back into the office and boost morale.
