What Does Your Office Environment Say About Your Business?
What kind of work environment would you like to work in? Chances are you aren’t going to say one that is dim, colorless and full of nervous employees. Lighting, decor and even paint colors come into play when creating the best office environment, but so does communication and attitude. Check out these ways to create a better environment and more productive employees.
Create a More Comfortable Office
Nobody likes a sore back but people who spend hours at a computer often have one. This is often because of uncomfortable chairs and desks that create a uniform workspace. The problem is that uniform is not only boring, it’s painful. Instead, focus on finding a variety of furniture that is professional and works well together in terms of style but is also comfortable. Allow your employees to choose their own seating, whether it is a traditional desk or a comfortable sofa with space to spread out. Some employees even prefer to work on the floor, so consider creating a fun, clean space in a corner of the room.
Add Better Lighting in the Work Areas
Lighting plays a huge role in how productive your employees are. If you can, purchase or rent an office space that has large windows and plenty of natural light. It’s known to improve energy and mood, which leads to better focus and productivity. If natural light isn’t an option for your office environment, find blue-enriched bulbs for workspaces. These lights can increase happiness and reduce fatigue. You can use warmer tones in meeting rooms and break rooms, which makes people feel more calm and relaxed.
Make It Easier to Communicate
Employees who don’t feel they can communicate with their bosses are less productive, have lower morale and are more likely to find employment elsewhere. Create an open-door policy that allows your employees to feel comfortable speaking to you about issues or asking questions. Use positive reinforcement when speaking with people, praising good work and providing good feedback before bringing up any issues. Remember, just like employees need evaluation, so do team leaders, department managers and even CEOs.
While comfortable seating, great lighting and excellent communication are all important to the office environment, the best way to create a productive workplace is to hire great people. While everybody has a bad day once in a while, people who are routinely negative or rude will bring down the morale of the entire company. If communication with a toxic employee doesn’t work, do not feel that you need to keep them on the payroll.
