The Impact of Office Space
Many organizations are turning to open concept office spaces with fun amenities, such as Foosball tables or dartboards. However, those types of amenities do not increase the productivity, comfort, or health of employees. Therefore, they do not increase employee engagement as much as employers may think. According to this infographic from Cubical Concepts, the top frustrations when it comes to office space include: lack of work space, unsatisfactory lighting and room temperature, noise distractions, lack of sound and visual privacy, and unpleasant colors or decor. With that being said, here are some tips on how to reinvent your office space for better productivity, comfort and health.
Improved Productivity, Comfort and Health
- Ask your team: The first step when redesigning your office space is to meet with employees one on one to discover what is most important to them. You can also create a suggestion box for employees to submit design suggestions throughout the day.
- Stay on brand: When brainstorming a new office design, make sure it aligns with your company’s goals and values.
- Provide multiple options: Some tasks require privacy and concentration, while others may require team collaboration. Create multiple work spaces that support both.
- Prioritize Ergonomics: Invest in employee health and comfort by creating ergonomic workstations and encouraging frequent movement throughout the work day. This not only increasing engagement by showing employees you care about their well-being, but it also improves overall productivity and quality of work.
- Include Natural Lighting: Including sky lights or large open windows provides natural light, which is ideal for employee health and productivity. Not only that, but research shows a view of nature decreases stress and increases creativity and focus. If your office space doesn’t have the best view, try incorporating more indoor plants for the same affect.
- Be flexible: Once changes have been made, continue to check in on employees to see what is working for them and what is not. Don’t hesitate to make more changes if necessary. Creating the perfect office space for your employees takes time, but it is well worth it!
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