Productivity is critical in any successful workplace and that is why companies constantly seek to improve it. But in considering how to boost the company’s efficiency, administrators tend to overlook office design. Employees could perform more efficiently and quickly if they are working in a well-designed environment.
You might wonder how exactly these are related to each other, so here are some ways office design could affect employee performance.
Personal comfort
How people perform in a certain environment varies for each. Most workers may find it easier to complete tasks in a tidy and organized environment. Meanwhile, some employees (particularly creative people) could work better when their workplace is cluttered and a bit messy. Providing each employee with their personal workspace allows them to personalize their environments so that they can work more comfortably. This can be achieved by setting up cubicles, booths or separate desks that follow a cohesive floor plan.
Collaboration
Sure, each employee has been given their personal work station, but there are also times when they need to work with others. This is important especially if employees work in teams to complete tasks, or when they need to work with other employees from different teams or divisions. Meeting rooms are not the only answer to this. You may also design your office to have breakout spaces, large office couches or benches, and maybe even plush chairs.
Health and wellness
A good office design helps keep employees healthy and minimize health risks. You can do this by taking ergonomics into consideration when designing the workplace. Good workplace ergonomics makes use of office chairs and desk layouts that support the neutral body position, which can prevent physical strains and stress that cause neck and lower back pains.
To further prevent health problems, also make sure that your office has good ventilation, air conditioning and heating systems. You should provide adequate lighting to minimize eye strain, stress, headaches and fatigue as well. Working natural light into your office design and having adjustable lighting systems can help give proper lighting to the workplace.
Eco-friendliness
Our instinctive love for nature is called biophilia. In 2015, a report entitled “The Global Impact of Biophilic Design in the Workplace” found that people working in environments with natural elements (e.g. workplaces with sunlight and greenery) have higher levels of productivity, creativity and well-being compared to those whose workplaces have no natural elements at all.
Incorporating nature into your office design is not only meant to support nature and improve employee performance. Plants in the workplace could help make the space more attractive for applicants and improve the air quality.
Organizational design is crucial to a company and making consistent improvements to it could help a lot in ensuring success. But, in seeking to boost efficiency within the organization, you may want to consider improving a more physical and tangible kind of design — particularly the office design. Of course, consult with your employees first to learn how to design the workplace to best fit their needs.