Research shows that an alarmingly low rate of only 33% of workers is actively engaged in their work. The rest are distracted by things such as lack of space, noise, lack of visuals, bad air quality, and unpleasant colours and textures. All of these things factor into why workers are less productive when they are in an office and are more efficient once you, as a manager, allow them to work from wherever they like—a café or a shared workspace.
Whether you have an open-space layout or office partitions in Victoria or in whichever area your office is located, the important thing to remember about redesigning and reinventing your office space is the needs of your employees. Take the time to meet with your employees to ask them about their ideas and suggestions on how to make your office space more worker-friendly.
Make conversations about office design a part of your daily routine until you come up with a layout that is agreeable to all workers concerned. You can also set up an email address where the concerns, as well as ideas about office redesign, of the workers will be sent. If you want to go old-school, create a suggestion box just outside your office so that your employees can drop off notes about their office-space concerns and suggestions.
Be Sure There’s Enough Space
Most of the problems that concern office space are the lack of, well, space. No matter how good that open-space layout is, it won’t serve you well if you don’t have enough space to provide optimal workstations for your employees. If you cannot invest in a location with enough space to house your employees, consider letting others work from home. This will save you the need to rent a bigger office space and make your workers more productive, too.
Prioritise Ergonomics
Make the comfort and health of your employees a priority by investing in ergonomic workstations. An ergonomic office chair, for example, will offer back and head support. Its height should be adjustable depending on who’s going to use it. The armrest should be levelled and not hinder your employees from working at their desks. Remember that your employees are going to be sitting on that chair all day long. The least you can do is to consider their comfort.
Add Greenery and Natural Lights
Natural lights help people see better. The eyes are made to adjust to natural lighting, and fluorescent lights cause headaches, nausea, and eye strain. Not to mention, they can also contribute to that feeling of suffocation and being cooped up. Many offices are also adding greenery to their design. Studies found out that the presence of plants in the office workspace makes employees more productive and less sickly.
As an office manager or business owner, it is your responsibility to provide a good working space for your employees. Not only will a great space encourage them to be more productive and efficient, but a well-designed workstation will also boost their health and improve work-life balance. Your office’s design and layout will speak of your brand and company and how well you take care of those in your employ.
