3 Great Tips you can Implement to Create the Ideal Office Environment
You’re here because you’re looking for new and creative ways to create the ideal office environment. Maybe you want to lift the motivation of your staff or inspire them. Or, you want to improve the current look of your office. Taking the initiative to search for ways to improve your office environment is positive for many reasons.
While the actual design of the office is extremely important, it’s not the total sum.
So why is the office environment so important?
Having an office environment that staff love coming to every day has a massive impact on staff morale, their productivity and performance. The physical environment can directly affect your team at work so to reduce stress and sick leave and to improve your company’s ability to retain staff, consider the type of work place your staff enjoy coming to every day.
3 Tips for a Better Workplace
1. Work life balance
Work life balance is something that many people struggle to achieve. With greater expectation on staff to work longer hours and be as productive as possible, finding the balance between work hours and home life is not an easy task.
If you ensure that you provide flexibility at work so people can juggle family life or outside activities then you’ll find the flexibility will be reciprocated in dedication and loyalty. Keeping staff retention low can save your company dramatically.
In some cases, staff form teams that play sport together on a weekly basis outside of the work place. This is great for team building and encourages healthy activities.
Speak to your staff and get to know more about their commitments outside of work or ask for suggestions for improvement at work. Even the mere fact that you ask for their input will show them you value their opinion and see them as a long term employee.
2. Natural Light
We all know that natural light provides Vitamin D which can enhance the mood of your staff and can assist in disease prevention. Having access to natural light can improve sleep and productivity.
It’s essential that you have windows that staff can see out of at their place of work. Further, have an outdoor communal area designed, when the building is conducive to it, or select a commercial building that provides this.
Giving staff access to an outside area where they can take a break is great for their well-being.
3. Greenery
Even just looking at a fresh, healthy, green plant is pleasing on the sight and on the brain but just what plants should you use in an office and how many? While fake plants might ‘look’ real, they can never replace the benefits real greenery can bring to the office. So we don’t recommend you go the fake route.
Plants are great for cleaning the air and keeping the air clean helps to keep illness rates lower. You should be aware though that some plants are considered better at detoxing the air than others. The peace lily is considered to be one of the best detoxifying plants on Earth! AND they are so easy to keep alive. You may consider some plants for decoration (succulents or cactus) but for appeal and functionality, you will want to choose plants that work well with your office design. Plants can be used as privacy barriers and also add a freshness to your reception area. Consult with an indoor plant supplier to find a greenery solution that works for your office and staff.
There are other ways you can improve your work environment and sometimes that means moving to larger premises or having your current office refurbished. Consideration and design is important in order to come up with an office layout that works for your visitors, staff and clients. Speak to us today to find out how we can assist you to design the right office for your business.