Does Office Design Really Affect Productivity?

In recent years, a lot of research has shown that our predominant orientation in regard to office design is wrong, and that it actually affects our employees productivity. There are many things to take into account when it comes to office design, and we are here to show you just what to look after in order to maintain and increase a healthy level of productivity.

1. Not having enough natural light can become a really big problem. If your office is designed in such a way that doesn’t provide you with enough natural light, your productivity decreases rapidly, you experience fatigue quicker, you become moody, etc. The same goes with acoustics and not having an adequate amount of silence. Being distracted by all kinds of noises, including your coworkers murmur can make a serious impact on productivity. Aromatherapy is something worth looking into. Some researchers say that fragrant offices lead to an increase in productivity. Using natural odors of lavender and lemon were shown to be effective.

2. Ergonomics are also very important. Not investing enough money into proper furniture that’s ergonomically designed can speed up the tiring process. Educating your employees on proper ways to position their bodies while sitting, where their hands should rest whilst using the keyboard, etc.

3. Not having a well designed and organized place to have a break can also affect productivity. We all know how important breaks are, but what you do when they come, and what your surrounding looks like, actually have an impact on how quickly you recover. That is why it’s important to have spacious rooms with a lot of natural light, comfortable furniture, exercising equipment, etc. What you should strive for is a room that feels more like home, and less like a working environment.

4. Tidiness is also of crucial importance. We all know how hard it is to come home from a hard day’s work and try to relax when your house is drowning in clutter, and it’s simply a mess. The same goes for your office. As long as there are tons of unnecessary things cramping up your desk, it’s going to be hard to focus on a particular task, because your mind will be over stimulated by the clutter.

5. People function in different ways. There are some of us who would prefer working in a cubicle, whereas some of us would feel more comfortable in an open type office. This is a choice that is important to leave to the employee. Productivity is affected mostly by the office design, and if you combine a person with a working environment that doesn’t suit him/her best, there will be a problem.

If you don’t know a lot about office design, maybe you should think about consulting a professional who can guide you to improving your business and your employee’s productivity and satisfaction. . Office Principles – UK is one of the leading companies in this area of expertise, and contacting them could only help you and your business prosper.