How To Improve Productivity With Office Design

Creating a happy and productive workforce isn’t just about the salaries and benefits you pay your staff, it’s about providing your employees with a happy and energising workspace where they can thrive. 

After all, studies show that the average British worker spends 34 hours of their week working, so an office needs more than just four walls and a few desks to motivate and inspire. 

In this blog, we take a look at how your workspace can be designed to increase productivity.  

 

Harness Natural Light

Have you considered how much exposure to natural light your workers have on a daily basis? Natural light is a key element in any office that wants to encourage their workers to be productive and is shown to have many benefits including decreasing eyestrain and headaches.  

Not only does natural light keep workers more active and alert than artificial bright lighting, but it also resembles the outside world. If employees feel like they are trapped indoors, their productivity is likely to drop. Increasing exposure to natural lighting will help boost morale and productivity as it mimics the outside world. 

If your office lacks natural light, look at moving big, bulky furniture from blocking windows and consider adding skylights if the building will allow. If this isn’t an option, you may want to look for lamps and light bulbs that utilise natural lighting effects instead.

 

Ergonomic Furniture

Ergonomics have always been key in the workplace and having office furniture that keeps employees comfortable and relaxed should be at the forefront of your office plan in order to improve office productivity. Your employees’ chairs and desks should be adjustable so they can be modified for individuals’ own needs. The right chair in the correct position with the perfect desk can reduce back and muscle pain, a common cause of lost work time and stress. 

 

Space For Collaboration 

A big part of your office should be a collaborative space where employees can go to work and converse with each other. Having a space that allows colleagues to discuss and generate ideas, means individuals are more likely to talk and learn from one another. Some people thrive off social interaction so giving employees the chance to bounce off ideas with other members of the team may be really useful for your business, and their own work ethic. 

 

A ‘Flexible’ Floor Plan

When it comes to your floor plan, it’s all about flexibility. Many business owners think they should stick to a traditional office design plan – cubicle or open. However, this isn’t the case anymore, and a mix of the two designs actually is far more beneficial to employees. The ‘flexible’ office plan incorporates elements of both the cubicle, more privatised plan and the open spaced office. This means that employees get the best of both worlds and can decide where they’d like to spend the day doing their work, this can help to improve the general productivity of your office.

You might wish to consider office partitions and glass cubicles – with the right design they are a great way to split up office space without cutting off communication and making employees feel isolated. Having private spaces for individuals to go if they prefer peace and quiet and time away from their colleagues means workers will be more productive in that environment. However, those who thrive in busy areas with lots going on will benefit from a more open space where they can talk to their friends while carrying out their day-to-day tasks.

The level of noise in an office is also key to productivity. A flexible office plan helps those who work better in silence, with no distractions, compared to those who can continue working with people talking and laughing around them.

 

Personality for inspiration

Try adding a bit of personality and warmth to your office decor – paint the walls of your office to tie in with your brand. You might even wish to put quotes or hang quirky paintings on the walls. Whatever you do, make sure the office isn’t dull and dreary. Colour has an important impact on peoples’ mood and therefore on their productivity levels. Keep it bright to keep your employees interested.

 

How we can help 

Above all, investing in your office design demonstrates your commitment to your team and staff members are much more likely to work hard for a business that tends to their wellbeing. 

 

If you’re relocating to new offices, or would like to refresh your current working space, please get in touch and organise a consultation with one of our experts to further explore the interior design and social distancing solutions available to you.