Is your Office conducive to productivity?

It doesn’t matter what class your business belongs to- whether it’s start-ups or successful businesses- productivity is the key requirement for remaining relevant in the long run. Unfortunately, most companies unknowingly limit their potential by failing to pay attention to the significance of office design. By understanding the necessity for sync between design and output, you can give your business that push ahead of others.

Impacts of Design on Productivity

Up until the late 20th century, it was a general belief that the basic things responsible for the efficiency and output of individual employees are salary, experience, and innate cognitive abilities. And while this is true, an experiment has revealed that environmental influences are also involved. Specifically, researchers have discovered that the layout and design of office space directly affect productivity.

4 Ways Conducive Office Can Improve Productivity

Looking at it from a management angle, these findings are critically important. There is a higher feasibility of you getting the best out of your employees by optimizing your office and workspace. Practically speaking, here are some specific steps you can take:

1.       Incorporate Unique Elements

Speaking of inspiring, an office looking like the content of an office supply catalog is not close to inspiring. To motivate your employees to maximize productivity, try incorporating some unique elements into key workspaces.

Incorporating unique elements into the office will make your office look a lot different. One of the options is to accent modern pieces with antique furniture. Adopting the “an old-meets-new mix to achieve balance and character” approach used in the home can bring out the best in office furnishing as well.

Another bright option is to use elements that aren’t originally intended to serve as furniture or décor. For example, ping-pong table as a conference room table, artificial turf as carpet, or shipping containers as study nooks can bring out something great.

2.       Lighting and Acoustics

Though undervalued lighting and acoustics are one of the very important elements of an office design. Studies have proven that most employees aren’t satisfied with the lighting in their offices and open floor plans with loud acoustics can be distracting. So, what’s the solution?

In terms of lighting, sunlight is considered best. If possible, you should find ways to rely less on artificial light and more on natural light. As for acoustics, it is important to balance out an open floor plan by including private workspaces where employees can seclude themselves when necessary.

3.       Do Ergonomics

Nothing else can affect an employee’s productivity negatively than health. Poor posture can lead to eyestrain, headaches, neck and backaches, and even fatigue.  But healthy posture, apart from the Fact that it gives employees a feeling that their health is important to the company, it goes a long way to improve productivity.

It’s possible to have good ergonomics and compelling design. The key is to invest in office furniture that can be optimized by the user. Items like adjustable chairs and standing desks are a good place to start.

4.       Encourage Creativity

You may think you know what’s best for your employees, but you won’t always be right. In addition to implementing your own design choices, encourage employees to express themselves by getting creative with their individual workspaces. This expression of creativity can enhance satisfaction and positively impact performance.

There is a need to optimize Your Office for Productivity

If you haven’t considered the relationship between office design and productivity, then you are yet to pay much attention to the different design elements in your employees’ workspaces. Well, if you didn’t know, now you know how influential design is, you can begin to optimize with output and efficiency in mind. Take things one step at a time and you will get there in no time

This article is part of the HOGDigest editorial series.
Originally written by [Alabi Olusayo] and republished with permission.

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