10 Ways To Improve Your Office Environment
The happier you and your employees are, the more successful your small business will be. One of the best, and easiest ways to ensure you and your employees enjoy coming to work everyday, is to create a pleasant and enjoyable office environment. At North Consulting Services we have compiled a list of some of the most useful ways you can improve your office space, and promote business growth.
1. Proper Lighting
A dark and dingy office can leave employees uninspired and unproductive. Having a workspace that is properly lit can improve morale and productivity. One of the best ways to do this is by allowing as much natural light into the workspace as possible. A study at Northwestern University found that workers exposed to natural lighting enjoyed better sleep at night. Being well rested is key to increasing productivity the following day.
If your office or place of business does not have natural lighting, adding extra lamps around the office helps keep the space adequately lit.
2. Organize Workspace
A desk overflowing with papers and office supplies can lead to an inefficient, and ineffective workspace. By adding an effective organizational system, you can decrease clutter, allowing you to focus on your work. We recommend including an effective filing system, as well as an organized storage space for supplies, to help clean up your work area and increase your productivity.
Organizing is important, not just with your office supplies, but with tasks and planning as well. If you have a startup business, we offer startup consulting services to assist you in ensuring your business stays organized and continues to grow.
3. Reduce Distractions
It’s only natural for us to get distracted from time to time. If you want to minimize distractions, ask for, or create a workspace that is quieter and more secluded from the rest of the office. If your office has an open plan workspace, listening to music with noise cancelling headphones can help you stay focused and avoid noisy distractions.
Additionally, closing all non-work related tabs on your computer, and silencing or turning off your phone can help you stay focused on the task at hand.
4. Leave Your Computer
Staring at a screen for eight hours a day can take its toll. Some people elect to get blue light glasses to help their eyes from the strain, but that can only help so much. If you feel your eyes straining from the screen, we recommend looking away for awhile.
Even a small break from the screen can help your eyes and brain readjust. If that doesn’t help, try having a quick chat with a coworker or doing something productive away from the computer to help you readjust and refocus.
5. Personalize Workspace
Your desk allows you the opportunity to showcase your personality. Most desks are generally unattractive on their own, and by adding some personal photos, plants or other decor you can express your personality. You will be spending forty hours or more a week at your desk, so giving your desk a personalized feel can help improve your mood and productivity.
6. Get To Know Your Coworkers
Considering you will typically be at the office forty hours a week, you’re likely to interact with your coworkers or employees as much as your family. Taking the time to get to know them can lead to a better overall environment and help you understand your similarities and differences. It is much easier to work with someone who understands you, and vice versa.
Being able to effectively communicate with coworkers and employees is key in helping your small business grow. If you’re looking for additional ways to grow your business we recommending hiring a small business consulting service.
7. Add Color To The Office
Most office buildings are built with plain taupe walls and grey cubicles. An uninspiring environment can lead to uninspiring ideas, and uninspired employees. Bright, vibrant colors are proven to make people happier. Painting the walls or adding colorful decor to the office is a great way to improve employee’s moods. Happier employees can lead to business growth.
8. Make The Office Comfortable
Most people who work in an office sit down while working, so it’s important to be comfortable. Upgrading the furniture in your office to something that is durable and comfortable can go a long way. Additionally, upgrading to a new office chair can help improve your posture, as well as alleviate some of the neck and back pains associated with sitting down for an extended period of time.
In conjunction with comfort, having a clean, pleasant smelling office can provide you and your employees with a more enjoyable workspace. If you do not have the time to clean the office yourself, you may want to hire a professional cleaning service.
9. Add A Recreation Area
Sitting at a desk for eight hours a day can be tiresome and grueling. Adding a recreation area to your office gives employees a place to decompress, as well as stay active. If you don’t have the room to add a separate recreation area to the office, you can add a table game like a ping pong or foosball to the break room to help encourage your employees to stay active.
10. Avoid Micromanaging
Employees who feel trusted and supported, without being micromanaged, are more relaxed and confident about the job they’re doing. Employees who feel like they are under a microscope perform differently, and may begin to resent their job. Remember why you hired your employees in the first place, and trust that they will do the job you hired them to do.
Conclusion
A happy and pleasant work environment has been proven to be conducive to business growth. Incorporating some of the ideas listed above can create an environment that you and your employees enjoy coming to everyday. If you would like to know more about how you can improve your office environment, or have any other questions about growing your small business, please CONTACT US at North Consulting Services.
