Your office design is more important than you think

We all wish to work in a nice office, as opposed to one with an awful environment we can’t wait to get out of. But, creating a lovely office atmosphere has a lot to do with the tangibles, as well as the intangibles.

Most of the people spend majority of their time at their desks, looking at the same view and meeting the same people. If you make sure that your environment is pleasant, healthy, and productive, you will be able to reduce the costs, increase your profit, and create a workforce that is happy and engaging.

Getting the right tools

It is imperative to have the right tools readily available, irrespective of the profession. It could be a gardener who needs a spade, rake and fork, or a fire fighter who needs a hose and protective clothing. It is not different for office workers. They need tools that will help them give their 100 percent without having to deal with the distractions of coming up with a workaround to make up for missing equipment.

In addition to the tools, the employees need small things to keep them happy. It could be a small kitchen where people can make tea or coffee, a place to sit down and have lunch or chat up with colleagues, or it could be a water fountain where people can refresh themselves. These are small things that make a big difference.

If you have any staff working from remote locations, then it is important to have a place for them to sit when they come into the office. they will not foster a friendly attitude if they have to ask for a work area or just a place to sit.

Encouraging collaboration

Working with limited amount of collaborations can stifle the employees’ productivity as they will have to make extra efforts to work with others. If you cannot see your colleague, you cannot know if they are free or busy when you need to talk to them. In such cases, you might resort to sending mails and then waiting forever for a response instead of just simply going over and talking.

Little or no verbal communication can never create a positive work culture fuelled by collaboration and team work. A company culture can grow only if people interact and work together. Otherwise, you will just have a bunch of people sitting together doing their thing and not enjoying it.

The last thing people want is to work in an office that looks and feels like a small box, with nothing to accompany them except silence, and the occasional typing of the keyboard.  If you want to break this mould, then it is advisable to arrange the desks in clusters. This not only encourages communication and harmony, but break down the office from looking regimented.

Look for inspiration

Surround yourself with pictures and objects that inspire. Inspiring views need not be those of a landscape or the city horizon from every window. In fact, it could be something as simple as a soothing shade of green. It could be a plant right outside your window.

An uninspiring environment saps out the best from people and makes them gloomy and unproductive. As a result, your business will not be getting the most from the employees. 

The offices of Google are worth taking a note of, for they include slides, basketball courts, and grassed areas. And they come up with the most creative and inspiring online tools.

If you want your employees to give their best, you have to create an office environment that helps them achieve their best.