Inspired by the production lines of the industrial revolution, the traditional office space and its accompanying working hours have become outdated. The plethora of innovations in technology and communications brought by the digital age has changed the workspace.
To maximise productivity, the modern office should be liberal and conducive. The following are some changes you can make to modernise your workspace.
Natural Light
Research by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory found that natural light raises creativity and productivity. Workers can do their tasks 15 percent longer when exposed to natural light. Meanwhile, people lose 46 minutes of sleep at night if they are not exposed to sunlight. If your area doesn’t get much sunlight or you work at night, using lamps that imitate sunlight can achieve similar results.
Colour Design
Use colours that inspire creativity, raise spirits, or exude tranquility. Determine which one best suits the work you do. Your office can also have areas of different hues to cater to the different tasks you have. Consult the Color Affects System by industry authority, Angela Wright FRSA.
Urban Green Spaces
According to the World Health Organization, access to green spaces can reduce physical and mental health risks and improve overall well-being. If you have limited access to parks or gardens, adding some nature to your office will yield positive results as well.
Temperature
If your office is too hot or too cold, productivity suffers. Studies found that typing in an office that has a temperature of 25°C decreased errors by 44 percent compared to cooler temperatures. Incidentally, offices that have just the right temperature also keep workers healthy.
Cleanliness
Speaking of health, the best way to prevent illness-causing germs from spreading to employees is a sparkling clean office. Keeping your office in order will also raise the longevity of other office resources like computers and furniture. If regular cleaning is just not possible with the workload your office has, consider employing professional office cleaning services. The investment you make in the cleanliness of your office will lead to countless health and productivity benefits.
Recreational Hub
If your space allows for it, consider establishing a recreational hub for employees. These spaces can reduce stress, improve communications and relationships, inspire creative thinking, and help retain workers.
You can set up reading areas, game consoles, indoor sports equipment, or even a theatre system. A hub also offers bosses the perfect avenue to regularly interact with their teams in an informal capacity.
Healthy Food Options
Offering healthy food options in your pantry contributes to a healthy workforce. You may encounter some resistance when you start to replace junk food and sugary drinks with healthy alternatives but the bodies of your workers will thank you for it.
Rest and Sleep Area
Only 8 percent of people in the UK feel they are well-rested when waking up in the morning, according to the 2016 UK Sleep Survey. Having a sleep area in your office mitigates health risk associated with lack of sleep. Sleep areas recharge employees and raise their productivity.
With the changes in how businesses and companies work, it is important that offices are not left behind. Creating the modern workspace with the changes mentioned above will raise the productivity of the workers and the business as a whole.
