We all want to harness the power of working smarter, not harder. Did you know that the way you organise your office can boost the productivity of your staff? With a few simple changes and introductions, you can increase the productivity of your staff while also boosting their wellbeing and morale.
- Bring the outside in
The problem with the majority of offices is that they are sterile, generic and characterless environments. This doesn’t stimulate energy at work. Indeed, we’re not biologically programmed to work well indoors without much natural light.
The good news is that this is a relatively simple to fix by using plants and maximising the natural lighting you have available.
Plants don’t just add a wonderful splash of invigorating green to the workspace, they have been shown to boost employee wellbeing by an incredible 47% and productivity by a whopping 38%.
Natural light is needed for a happy and functioning employee. Natural light is linked to the increased release of serotonin in our bodies. Serotonin is the ‘happy hormone’ for making us feel good. If we feel good, we’ll work more productively.
Therefore, organise your office set up to ensure as much natural light reaches as many staff as possible. Then dot some plants around the office.
- Have organisational systems which reduce clutter
The fad for the clear desk policy might be waning, but there’s a lot to be said for office environments which purposefully tackle the build-up of clutter. Offices have a tendency to accumulate. The fear of throwing things away can build and soon you have unwieldy systems which aren’t fit for the size they are today.
A real contributor to this problem is paper clutter. Good practice, as well as data protection regulations, means that you should be regularly clearing out paper documents which are no longer needed.
Make sure you make this easy for employees to feel confident in. By choosing OnTimeShred with our range of onsite and offsite shredding services, you can keep needed paperwork in order while securely disposing of what you no longer need. This benefits productivity by making filing systems streamlined.
- Have water on tap
Literally. It may be a health cliché but we really need to be well hydrated to work well. Whereas the tea run may be the mainstay of the office routine, the caffeine doesn’t work well for hydration.
Make it easy for staff to grab a fresh drink of water by positioning a water dispenser in a communal spot. Let people meet over the water cooler while keeping your staff hydrated. Pop some fresh fruit there too and everyone will feel healthier and valued.
- Ergonomics matter
Ensuring your staff are comfortable and well-positioned will improve productivity. Being uncomfortable can lead to back pain and discomfort, causing employees to miss time off work, or simply perform less well.
As well as ensuring all workstations conform to good ergonomic principles, also encourage employees to vary their position. Welcome chances for them to get up and walk around a little, or have breakout areas for a change of scenery and position.
In fact, working in a standing position has been discovered to boost productivity by around 10%.
- Pay attention to the temperature
We’ve all been there: sat at our desk trying not to nod off because we’re simply too warm. Alternatively, we’re unable to focus because we’re shivering or unable to sit still in an attempt to warm up.
There is no set ‘right’ temperature for offices in the UK. However, most would argue that a good temperature to set the thermostat is 21°C. However, studies have found that going slightly warmer is more beneficial for productivity. One study, by Cornell University, found that increasing the office temperature to 25°C increased typing output by a staggering 150% while also vastly reducing the errors made.
With these simple changes, you can improve the productivity and wellbeing of your staff. Given how simple they are to do, what are you waiting for?!
