by Nigel Hilton
When you’re spending so much time at the office, it’s vital that the place looks and feels great. Office revamps may not sound important to some, but the fact is- our workspaces are where all the creativity and substance of our projects really come to life. A workspace that lacks charm, functionality and inspiration isn’t going to get the best out of your employees (or the best out of you)! An investment in your office is an investment in productivity, efficiency and wellbeing.
1 .Go Ergonomic
Ergonomic furniture is vital to ensure the health of your staff members. Ergonomic chairs are specially designed to support the natural curve of the spine and allow the body to sit in the ideal position. Using non-ergonomic chairs over a long period can lead to injuries which cause pain and reduce mobility. Ensure that employees have their laptops and computers set up in the correct positions, for the same reason. Staff should be an arm's length away from the screen and have the top of the screen positioned level with their eyes.
2. Go Green
Improving your office space is just as much about morale and ethics as it is about the material things. Businesses have a social responsibility to protect the environment and reduce their carbon footprint as much as possible. Ensure that you put effective policies in place for your employees to adhere to. Examples could be a strict recycling policy, going paperless or restricting the amount of printing each week. Purchase solar-powered chargers for your office so that employees are not overusing electricity via charging their mobile phones. Try eco-kettles for the kitchen and recycle food scraps for compost (if your premises has a garden area). Simple habits such as remembering to switch off devices when not in use go a really long way.
3. Use Your Branding
When your office needs a good revamp- use your branding to inspire the decor. What are your brand colours and graphics- can they be used to jazz up the walls? What are your values- can these be designed as artwork for decorations? Think about the personality of your brand and how you can express this in your layout and decorations. Using bright colours in an office space can really help to boost creativity, so think carefully about the colours you use for your next paint job. Yellow is a great colour to reflect both positivity and creativity (but you may want to use it sparingly)!
4. Don’t forget Plants
Plants are valuable to cleanse the indoor air of harmful chemicals and toxins, plus they are great decorations. Many studies have concluded that plants can help to boost our endorphin levels and help us to feel more relaxed. Natural light produces a similar effect, so if your office is a bit dark, it might be time to try and change that. If your place lacks larger windows, purchasing a few ‘daylight mimicking’ bulbs could be a good idea. For an office space, a few snake plants or peace lilies are a great go-to.
5. Productivity Gadgets
Gadgets can be a fun way to enhance the productivity in any office environment. One good example could be a ‘DeskView Lightweight Standing Desk.’ This product lets you set up a workspace at a window in the office. You simply attach it to the window with the suction cups and off you go! Sometimes, it gets a little dull sitting down all day with the same view. These miniature desks are an excellent way to stretch your legs while still working hard at your laptop.
There are also some pretty nifty time management gadgets out there right now, for instance ‘TimeFlip’. It’s a 12 sided dice that you can sync with your tasks. Once you start doing the particular task, you face that task upwards on the dice. The device tracks the time you are spending on that task and records this info within the cloud. TimeFlip can then provide you with an analysis of how you have used your time during the day. There are plenty of other business tech tools out there to boost efficiency, and you’ll find these with a little research.
6. Alternative Workspaces
As a business owner, you’ll know that the best teams include diverse characters and working styles. For this reason, it’s a good idea to set up a few different alternative workspaces. Set up areas for collaboration, plus those spaces for those who prefer some space to work alone. Use comfortable soft seating areas as well as traditional desk spaces. Permitting employees to work from home can be another excellent way to boost productivity. When work environments and structures are more flexible, it’s easier for imagination to thrive. Technology like the cloud makes it easier to enable staff to work away from the office and on-the-go.
7. Ditch The Clutter
When our workspaces are cluttered and disorganised, it’s challenging to concentrate and get results. In 2020, make it your mission to declutter the office and get rid of the unwanted items. If you have items that you wish to keep, yet don’t have space, a storage solution can be a great option. Either this or it might be time for a relocation. As your business grows you’ll gradually start to need more space. Renting or buying a bigger premises could help to deal with the issue of both space and clutter. Some businesses prefer to go for purpose-built premises so that they have control over the design and structure. Companies like safety steel structures, offer some excellent solutions for commercial building.
Creating the perfect office space doesn’t happen overnight. If you’ve recently moved to a new premises, it may take a few adjustments over time. When you’re renting a space, you might have to check before you start painting everything up. (Generally, though, most landlords won’t mind as long as the place is looking great)! Rest assured, once you get your set-up right, you’ll see productivity and efficiency increase.