Ways Your Office Affects Productivity
There are many ways your office affects productivity, which is why you should focus on making it an inviting place for them. Keep reading to learn how!
Interior design has brought many innovations into the world of office space throughout the years. Let's take cubicles, for example. Highly popular in the last century, these days, they are considered a thing of the past. Something that reputable companies are trying to leave behind and switch with a more comfortable work environment, one that sparks creativity and motivates employees to perform their best work. Now, the ways your office affects productivity truly are substantial. That begs the question: Is there anything around it that you should focus on improving?
Ways Your Office Affects Productivity Among Employees: What to Do to Ensure the Motivation Runs High?
While we prepare to return to normalcy, or at least, a version of it that includes going back to the office, it might pay to focus on sprucing up the office interior. Certain changes are sure to boost employee morale and, thus, positively influence your business, as well. However, before we discuss what you could improve, let's talk about the factors that majorly influence productivity - both positively and negatively.
The Lighting
You know how when we dim the lights, we start feeling a bit drowsy? Well, that's because our minds are wired in such a way that they associate the lack of light with the night and sleep. Proper lighting is essential for an office, unless you want your employees falling asleep in the middle of their work assignments. Not to mention that their eyesight could take a turn for the worse as a result of the improper illumination. With that said, the brighter the workplace, the better.
Artificial lighting surely does the job. However, the importance of natural light shouldn't be neglected, either. In fact, ideally, your office should have plenty of windows that invite the light in. In the absence of it, blue-tinted artificial lighting should be your go-to choice.
Ambient Noise
Total silence is never good, but neither is a workplace so noisy that proper work cannot possibly be done. If you've got two offices, you can always merge them into one. However, the question is, how can you effectively combat the background noise so that it doesn't end up affecting your team's productivity? Well, for once, you could introduce the ambient noise into the space. It should provide a distraction from the nearby conversations, on top of eliminating the feeling of that uncomfortable silence all of us dread.
Music
Whether or not music helps people perform better at work has been a topic of many debates over the years. Some say it does, while others claim it's nothing but a distraction. However, there is evidence that supports the argument that low-level music helps individuals retain focus during working hours, as long as it is the music they like. In general, songs without too many lyrics have also been shown to have a better influence on concentration.
The Quality of Air
The overall office cleanliness matters, especially in the midst of the pandemic. However, among the ways your office affects the productivity of your employees is also the quality of air. The increased levels of carbon dioxide induce the feeling of exhaustion. And let's be honest, how can you expect anyone to give their best when they're tired? Furthermore, it isn't only the lack of oxygen that could impact the capability of a team. It's all the same with the dirty air coming from both outside and inside, which could actually prove hazardous to the health of everyone in the office.
While there's only so much to do about the quality of air coming from the outside, improving that on the inside is something you can work on. You might want to start with the introduction of air purifiers. Have the air filters regularly cleaned and replaced, if need be. Ventilate the area every so often, as well, as that is what will replenish the existing oxygen supply. Plants might also be a great addition to the office. Besides improving air quality, they'll surely add a bit of life and a pop of color into it, too.
The Temperature
Scientists have long been researching the topic of the ideal temperature in a work setting. They have managed to come to a conclusion that 71 degrees Fahrenheit keeps the employees focused for the longest. However, this is subject to interpretation and personal preference. What one might consider warm, others could easily think of as cold. The only way to determine what temperature works the best for your team is to experiment. Just remember, there will always be someone who finds a certain setting uncomfortable. You can't please every one of your employees, so instead, focus on the majority.
The Color
The way color influences human thoughts and behavior is something that not even psychologists can fully grasp. Despite the connection not being completely understood, a certain link between colors and employee morale has been noticed. A few colors, more than the rest, happen to impact workplace productivity. Blue, for instance, has been shown to induce a calming feeling among workers. On the other hand, green helps minimize eye fatigue and allows people to stay sharp for longer. As far as red is concerned, well, due to it being the color of passion, it's only natural that it would increase the feeling of competitiveness and thus, yield exceptional outcomes in teams that are all about results.
Much like with the temperature, you'll have to experiment until you see what color sparks the interest and improves the work ethic within your office. As suggested by the moving team at allseasonmovers.com, before you've changed the company colors, however, have the work equipment transferred somewhere else for the time being. Somewhere safe, like a guarded and surveilled storage facility.
Things to Remember
It might not seem that way, but the negative ways your office affects productivity are a huge problem for the company that could have disastrous effects in the long run. They could ruin the reputation of your business, even cause the company to stop running. Instead of plotting your own demise without even realizing it, work on turning the place into a safe haven for employees. Happy employees equal a successful company. Or at least, that's the way it should be.
