Throw out that cactus now!

Adopting office Feng Shui can boost productivity and profitability, according to officebroker.com ñ the UKís largest online broker of commercial office space.

ìA better office environment means more motivated employees,î says Managing Director, Jim Venables. ìEvidence also suggests that pleasant working conditions enhance staff loyalty and improve productivityî

Most people believe the environment in which they work has an impact on their performance. Indeed, a recent survey by one of Britainís leading high street banks* revealed that messy offices can stop workers from doing their jobs properly and can even result in one in five workers wanting to quit.

While factors such as natural light, air conditioning and a culture of keeping the office tidy and businesslike all affect the overall ambience of an office, in some countries businesses consider the working environment to be so important that Feng Shui is widely used to boost luck, wealth, health and harmony.

officebroker.com, which trades globally and has existing offices in the UK and US, is looking to launch officebroker.com Asia in 2008.

ìFeng Shui is widely used by Chinese, Japanese and Indian firms and increasingly, European businesses are starting to employ the ëArt of Placementí in a bid to improve staff performance,î says Jim. ìIn todayís competitive business environment, companies are considering anything which might enhance their overall performance. As a result, we are seeing more of our European and UK clients employing Feng Shui consultants in a bid to give themselves a competitive edge.î

officebroker.com spoke to Angela Ang, Founding Consultant of UK based Rising Dragon Feng Shui. She offers businesses the following advice:

- Bosses should sit in the corner farthest away from the door to adopt the ëCommandí position

- Letting natural sunlight into an office creates positive ëyang chií which helps to promote better staff productivity and morale

- Avoid cacti or sharp looking plants in the office as their small, sharp leaves cause ëshar chií. As air passes through the plants it will become fierce and sharp, affecting office harmony

- Desks should be organized and uncluttered so employees can focus their brain power on work rather than have it dispersed on little things that donít matter

- Mirrors should never be hung in an office as they can reflect negative energy around

- To allow for the free flow of chi, ensure that all wires are hidden. Multi tangled wires can generate ìsnake sharî and create accidents

Feng Shui has been used in offices in some parts of the world for more than 5,000 years. Translated literally from Chinese it means Wind and Water and, in plain English, it means ëthe cause and effect of environmental energies on you.

ìWhether you consider Feng Shui to be a bit far fetched or a valuable business tool, it is worth remembering that this ancient art has been widely used by businesses across the world for thousands of years,î says Jim.

ìAnything which can improve a personís working environment has got to be considered seriously and we are certainly seeing a lot more European businesses now working with Feng Shui consultants such as Rising Dragon.