Make Your Office Space More Productive with 4 Easy Changes
There are various ways you can make your office space more productive. Even if your company is doing perfectly fine and everyone is working at the top of their game, there are still steps you can take to encourage increased work output. There are physical changes you can make to your business to promote productivity. However, you can also promote psychological benefits that will make your employees work harder and be happier.
Natural Lighting
Many offices utilize fluorescent lightbulbs throughout the building, but you might be harming your employees’ productivity. Studies have found that workers who are exposed to fluorescents throughout the day end up being sleepier when the end of the day comes around as opposed to their counterparts who are exposed to natural light. You should see if it is possible to get windows in your company to make your office space more productive. If windows are not in the cards, then you should encourage that your workers spend plenty of time outdoors on their breaks. If possible, you can set up a nice little area for employees to sit, talk to each other and relax in the sunshine.
Reduce Noise
A constant barrage of noises can be distracting to anyone. You should take the necessary steps to eliminate noise from an office so that your employees can focus on their various tasks. Studies have also found that prolonged exposure to noise can lead to people being in poorer moods, and someone feeling angry will be less likely to do a job adequately. There are a couple things you can do to eliminate excessive sound.
One of them is silencing noise altogether. If you utilize an open space office environment, think about still having a few offices where people can go to when they just need to get away from it all. A sense of balance will make your workers feel more at ease and give people some private time in order to make the office space more productive. Additionally, you should also think about providing employees with noise-cancelling headphones. This means that people can still talk to one another in the office, but employees who are working at their desk are not forced to listen.
Comfortable Temperature
Unfortunately, finding a temperature that works for everyone in your office can be tough. Some people may be perfectly content working at a certain temperature while the same level will have others shivering in their chairs. Be open to suggestions from your employees about the temperature. In general, you should keep the thermostat set around 74 degrees. Research has found that cold workers are more likely to make typos in papers and have a lower typing output than workers who are comfy. You should be flexible to what your employees can wear if it makes them comfortable. A space heater or fan at the desk can also come in handy if an employee needs it.
Ergonomics
A comfortable employee is going to be more productive than an employee who has a bad back all day. You should look into investing in ergonomic chairs that support the sitter’s back. You should also get chairs that are adjustable so that workers can adjust the height to their liking. Certain things are going to be more comfortable to some people than others, and you can do a lot to make an office space more productive by giving people the option to work on their own terms.
Additionally, you can also look into investing in standing desks. These are essentially adjustable desks that can be heightened so that a worker has to stand or put down so that a worker sits. Sitting all day can make an employee tired or uncomfortable as time goes on, so be flexible and give your workers chances to get up and move around. If possible, you can also think about giving your employees the chance to work from home somedays. Ultimately, by giving people options, they will be able to work in a manner that is most efficient for them. Your employees just want to do their best, and you should give them the tools to do that.
These are just some of the things you can do in order to make your office space more productive, but you should speak with your employees to see if there is anything else they would recommend. They may give you ideas you would have never thought of before, and the results can be fantastic. Utilize Mighty Recruiter’s resources to see what else can be done to make your workers happy and industrious.