It has been widely documented that promoting employee happiness can benefit your business, and one study found that happy employees are up to 20% more productive than their unhappy counterparts. Simply making a few changes around your office can ensure that your staff are kept as happy and productive as possible, which massively improves your business.
Base your office layout on the culture you want to create
Research has shown that the layout of your office can drastically impact your workplace culture. For example, having an open-plan office structure facilitates teamwork and verbal communication, as opposed to talking solely through emails. Having communal areas also encourages employees to speak to each other, and gives them a place to relax and take breaks during the workday, which helps to establish a collaborative, social company culture.
Office decor, such as artwork, quotes, and even the furniture you pick can affect the attitude of your business and staff. From acoustics, lighting, and visual stimuli, interior space and design can direct human behaviour and the work you do. It’s important that you consider your company culture when choosing and decorating your office space, as it could hinder or facilitate productivity.
If you’re looking for a new office space for your business, it’s worth thinking in advance about how you would decorate and arrange the layout in any location you consider, which can take time. Spend at least three months preparing your move to a new office, including spending time working on the ideal office layout. Office removal companies like Evolve Relocation provide clients with a dedicated project manager, freeing up more of your time to focus on aspects like planning a layout, while they handle logistics.
Encourage interaction with communal spaces
A change of scenery can help improve concentration and focus, as it breaks monotony. For example, when students are revising, they are encouraged to move around and change their scenery in order to revive their minds. This kind of thinking also applies in the workplace, as it can help to keep your staff engaged. You may choose to offer employees the chance to work remotely from time to time, or implement a hot-desking culture at the office. This can ensure that employees continuously interact with different members of the team, rather than sitting amongst the same group every day, which can be beneficial to your company culture.
Sitting in one place in front of a computer screen all day can have a negative impact on your overall health. According to Harvard Health, excessive sitting has been linked to a wide range of health problems, from osteoporosis to diabetes. You should encourage employees to walk around, take regular time away from their desks, and make use of any communal space you might have.
When looking for a new office, try and pick one with a scenic walking route, as opposed to an office space in an industrial park. This can encourage staff to go for quick walks during break times, giving them time away from their desks as well as some fresh air. You can also invest in standing desks, giving staff the option to sit or stand while working. These come with their own benefits, including improving mood and energy levels, which enhances the company culture.
Stay organised and stress-free
Keeping an organised office ensures that everything has a place, and there is minimal clutter around your staff. It’s been said that the average person wastes over four hours per week looking for papers, which adds stress and frustration to the working day, and reduces levels of concentration and creative thinking. The National Association of Professional Organisers (NAPO) also found that not having an organised office can lead to financial losses equivalent to 10% of a manager’s salary. If your office is not kept organised, it could result in employees losing important paperwork, and struggling to keep on top of work, which could damage the mood and culture in your office.
Providing dedicated space for your staff’s personal belongings, as well as things like filing cabinets, can help keep the workspace organised. If employees are given the chance to keep their things tidy, they will be able to maximise their performance, and stay focused and engaged on their work. Having a clean and organised working space can even help to encourage staff to come to work in the first place; after all, no one wants to spend the majority of their week in a cluttered and disorganised office. Employees who are happy to come to work create a more enjoyable working environment as they will have a positive attitude, impacting your company culture.
Having the right office space in the right location, can massively impact your company culture. Your employees spend 40 hours on average at work every week, so you want to make sure it is an enjoyable place to be, and that they feel at home and welcome in the office. This will ensure that your brand is effectively represented, and that your staff are kept happy and productive.