Your office space sets the tone for your entire business. It reflects your company’s values, influences the daily workflow, and ultimately makes or breaks just how happy and productive your employees are. So in order to get the most out of your company, you should dedicate plenty of time to designing an office that’s made for productivity! Here’s how. 

Why your office design matters

Your employees spend hours and hours every week in the office or workplace. So it’s important to make the space as inviting and comfortable as possible to ensure that everyone can concentrate and work hard, all while building camaraderie with their coworkers! 

An office that is poorly lit, hard to navigate, and has poor acoustics can make your workers feel stressed out and unmotivated, which can certainly impact their ability to stay productive and focused on their tasks. On the other hand, a well-designed office that is designed specifically to increase their comfort can encourage productivity and ultimately help everyone work closer to their goals. 

Design tips for a more productive workplace

Bring nature indoors. 

While “nature” probably sounds pretty antithetical to “office space,” having some natural elements throughout your office can do a world of good in boosting everyone’s morale and keeping them energized during a long workday. In fact, studies have found that even just looking at natural elements can help improve people’s moods and increase job satisfaction, which can ultimately lead to better productivity in the long run! 

While you may not always be able to bring the office outdoors or go on nature hikes during the work day, you can incorporate some of these elements into your office. For example, try opening the windows on days with nice weather to allow for fresh air and natural lighting. Another tip for boosting productivity is to have a couple of houseplants throughout your office! A study conducted by Washington State University found that the use of indoor plants was associated with increased productivity, attentiveness, and reaction times, as well as lower blood pressure and stress. 

Use ergonomic furniture. 

Back and neck pain are common complaints among office workers due to the extended hours of sitting in front of a computer, which means that finding ways to make your work environment more comfortable can also translate to better productivity in the long run. 

Look for ergonomic office furniture like adjustable chairs, back supports, and desks to minimize the strain that a long day at the office can present on your physical health. 

Consider your lighting choices.

The lighting that you choose for your office can make or break how awake and productive your workers feel on a day-to-day basis. If you aren’t lucky enough to have plenty of natural sunlight in your office space, try swapping out your harsh overhead lighting and installing cool-toned, indirect lighting fixtures throughout the area to boost productivity. 

Consider using standing desks instead. 

Another furniture tip for boosting productivity? Ditch the sitting completely and opt for a standing desk instead! According to a study conducted by Texas A&M University, call center workers who used standing desks were more productive than their colleagues who used traditional sitting desks! 

Provide different areas for collaborative and solo work. 

Different workers thrive in different environments — for example, some of your workers might enjoy brainstorming throughout the day with their colleagues, while others may prefer to focus and get things done independently. In addition, certain tasks call for different levels of teamwork! So make sure your office has plenty of space for both. Provide comfortable conference rooms and/or lounge areas where groups can get together and work as a team, and quiet (preferably soundproofed) closed offices where your solo workers can make the most out of their workday. 

Installing a couple of private phone booths like the Pillar Booth is a great idea here: not only do they offer a soundproofed, private area that’s ideal for people who are at their most productive when they are quiet and focused, but they also give workers an opportunity to conduct private calls and work tasks that involve sensitive or confidential information. Pillar Booths are also flexible and easy to set up, which means that you don’t need to reconstruct your entire office by building entire walled-off offices in order for your employees to get peace and quiet when they need to. In other words, installing these private phone booths is a perfect compromise for open offices to give all employees the space that they need to be at their most productive! 

Make use of all of your available space. 

Nothing is quite as frustrating as feeling like you’re constantly working on top of your other coworkers in a tiny, cramped office space. So one of the best ways to boost productivity is to make sure you’re using as much of your building space as possible! As best as you can, spread out people’s workspaces so that they each have plenty of desk space and room for themselves. 

Paint and decorate the room to be calming and coherent.

To add some personality and purpose to your work area, try painting your office in calming and productivity-boosting colors like blue, green, or yellow. Then tie everything together with tasteful decor (but be sure not to overdo it and clutter the whole office). 

It’s also useful to have large and functional memo areas that remind workers of your goals for the week and month. For example, hanging a large chalkboard or whiteboard somewhere prominent in the office where you can write down important goals and tasks can remind employees of their overarching mission for the week. In a similar vein, having your company’s mission displayed somewhere in the office where everyone can see can tie together the entire office and remind everyone of the longer-term purpose. 

Allow for personal touches. 

Letting your employees add their own special touches to their individual work areas is a great way to boost morale and keep them motivated while they’re away from home. Allow for personal pictures of their loved ones, knick-knacks, etc., to let them make the place their own and take ownership of their office. 

Office design mistakes that might be negatively impacting your productivity

Clutter

Having too much going on in your office can be jarring to the senses and make it hard for employees to concentrate when they need to. Keep your office space as clean and tidy as possible to promote a calm environment that lends itself to focus and concentration. 

    Poor acoustics

    Allowing too much noise to travel throughout your office can also wreck someone’s focus. Make sure that you’re soundproofing your office as much as possible by installing soundproof materials and carpeting to deaden some of the noise (and put a stop to extra-exuberant conversations if they happen). Again, phone booths like Pillar Booth are a great option here both ways: they allow workers to take calls in a soundproofed, private area and they let workers who prefer quiet focus to escape from louder group environments. 

      Conclusion

      Designing your office to maximize productivity can make a world of difference in how much work gets done during the day. Pay extra attention to the lighting, ambiance, and sound in your workspace to give each of your workers the environment they need to thrive. 

      Photo by Cadeau Maestro: https://www.pexels.com/photo/people-sitting-on-chairs-beside-their-desks-in-an-office-1170412/