Ten Top Tips to Improve Productivity with your Office Design
6 minute read
As we return back to the office in abundance after a long period working from home, it’s time to rethink the work environment to improve creativity and productivity. With employees collaborating together again in person, meetings taking place face to face and increased time away from home, it’s worth thinking about an office re-design to inject new energy and give your team the boost they need to come into the building each day.
It’s time to get rid of old-fashioned office spaces that lack inspiration and bring in contemporary and creative design elements that call for collaboration and complete employee satisfaction. There are a number of ways this can be achieved, here are our top ten tips to make it happen.
1. Think about the layout of your office space
If you’ve decided to start from scratch or just looking to improve the feng shui of your office layout, it’s important to think about how the move will affect productivity. We’re so used to side by side desks and silos, perhaps it’s time to change things up. Make the most of your open office space by placing desks in areas with plenty of light or include sofas and focal points. This changes employee’s viewpoints with different scenery and an opportunity to see things from a new perspective.
2. Dedicated Office Areas –
In the days of working from the home office – or for some the kitchen table – the only distractions we had were the postman, children or doing housework during quiet times. Now we’ve returned to the office, it’s worth thinking about setting dedicated office areas away from our desks when the main office may have high noise levels, loud conversations, and phones ringing constantly which can be distracting. Breakout areas are the perfect way to have some quiet time to stay focused and concentrate. It’s also a place to make private phone calls or have some downtime if work gets overwhelming. With regards to dedicated office areas it’s also important to think about meeting spaces where you’re inviting clients or holding conference calls. Do they need to be soundproofed and updated with the latest technology to improve productivity. Private office spaces need to be just that, private, for staff to respect when you need to be away from the crowd.
3. Choose Colour Wisely –
If you’ve recently gone through a business rebrand or want to improve the vibrancy of the space you work, a simple task such as repainting the office can do wonders. It’s important to think about the effects of the colour you choose and the increased productivity it will have on the team. White can be uninspiring, whilst purple promotes ambition, green is associated with growth and nature and orange can help with mental stimulation. Taking this into consideration and reading up on the benefits of how to use colour in the office can do wonders.
4. Make the Most of Natural Light –
In offices with harsh unnatural light, not only can this be a strain for the eyes on top of the hours staring at a computer screen, it also creates an unhealthy environment with increased stress and fatigue. Where possible, stream in natural light into the office with large windows and panels. By doing so not only will you boost happiness and Vitamin D intake, you’ll also improve circadian rhythms and help aid good sleep too.
5. Luxury Kitchen Fits –
One thing we all look forward to during a hectic day in the office is a lunch break. Time away from our desks where we get to chat to colleagues or have a moment of quiet reading. Improve company culture by installing a kitchen area that is full of mod-cons and perks for employees to benefit from. Whether that’s with state-of-the-art coffee machines, free food, decent crockery or themed days, these are a great way to bring together the team and make them feel valued. It’s also a tool to reducing stress too.
6. Get Creative with Furniture –
Let’s face it, black, white and grey furniture can be pretty dull. When planning the new design of your office, the furniture you choose determines the overall style and comfort that your team work in everyday. You want chairs and sofas that are comfortable, desks that are fully operable with charging points and the option to sit or stand, and accessories that help with productivity.
7. Decadent Decorations –
As well as furniture, look up and visualise the wall space. An area to inspire and help boost creativity there are a number of ways the walls can bring a great amount of energy in the workplace. If you have an open plan office then why not commission an artist to design a mural, or purchase art from a local artist. Not only are you supporting the community, you’re also improving the overall look of the space too.
8. Bring the Outdoors In –
It’s no secret that indoor plants have sky rocketed in popularity. As well as making a place look pretty, they also have a range of benefits to the working day too. They can enhance creativity and productivity as well as reduce stress and noise levels. Make sure to buy low maintenance plants though otherwise you’ll just be adding another item to your to do list.
9. Take Notice –
Gone are the days of old fashioned pin boards that feature leaflets of local events or staff notices. Embrace technology and have digital boards in the form of screens that showcase motivating videos or projections of inspiring quotes.
10. Get moving –
Finally, it’s important to move multiple times throughout the day. All too often we can spend hours at our desks without truly moving. Perhaps set up a yoga area, install an office gym or set out workout spaces for people to make use of during their lunchtime. Not only will this keep the team active, it’ll increase circulation and above all improve productivity too.
From small to large spaces, complete office refurbishments, touch ups and improvements, there are a wide variety of ways to update your space for office workers. Cobus Spaces are your first choice to enhance workplaces with our complete professional service that provides the whole package. For decades we have been overhauling offices in Gloucester, Cheltenham, Oxford, Swindon, Birmingham and Bristol, as well as wider areas across the UK, using our seven-step project management system. Ready to innovate? Speak with our team to discuss how we can increase productivity with office refurbishments and design enhancements.
