A well-kept office is the best way to encourage productivity and great company culture. Studies show that disorganization, uncomfortable furniture, and a drab ambiance are detrimental to workers’ efficiency. Furthermore, poor office design is harmful to their mental health. If you’re a business owner looking to increase morale and workflow within the office, check out these ways to upgrade your company’s work environment.
Proper Lighting
It may seem like a minor factor in office productivity, but a well-lit work environment is extremely conducive to increased workflow, mood, and mental health. Darkness strains the eyes, especially when working with paper and computers, and thus slows your workers down throughout the day. Furthermore, dim or burnt-out lights cause fatigue and make the office less inviting.
Make the switch to LED lights, which have many settings that make them more flexible. Additionally, they’re more environmentally friendly than traditional lights and cut down on building energy bills down the line.
Active Design
There are countless ways to lay out an office. However, not every design is suitable for your company’s needs—the traditional, monotonous cubicle layout separates employees from others and discourages communication. Luckily, there is a way to maintain your employees’ personal space without sacrificing collaboration.
Active design is the method of carefully arranging an office so that movement throughout the building is fluid and logical. For example, separating teams into different sections with easy access between the groups helps people focus on their tasks with the option to roam comfortably as necessary. Another example is having open, centralized breakrooms that encourage employees to rest and recharge throughout the day.
Clean Space
A messy office is detrimental to your workforce, as clutter and uncleanliness are distracting. A few simple techniques to combat disorganized space will encourage efficiency, focus, and positive mental health. First, shredding documents regularly limits paper around the office that takes up too much space—digitizing documents is a better way to store important information.
Secondly, ensure your office is a clean space at all times. A dirty area is unpleasant for employees and presents a poor image for visitors and clients. Consider a professional carpet cleaning service to ensure good quality carpets throughout the office. Lastly, conduct regular dusting, vacuuming, and sanitizing of all surfaces.
Ultimately, when looking for ways to upgrade your company’s work environment, opt for aspects that increase the working experience. Happy, focused employees enjoy their jobs and work more productively and efficiently.