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Improve motivation, productivity and performance

17th July 2012 Print

Companies all over the world spend millions on trying to improve productivity in the office. If employees don’t feel comfortable in their work environment, they work suffers, and ultimately so will the company.

Access, privacy, comfort and flexibility are the four key factors that will improve or decrease productivity in the work place, and many businesses are starting to realise that if you invest in the happiness of your workforce, then your workforce will be better equipped to service the business.

Access

If your office space is littered with desks and chairs, and people are unable to move freely, then the limited access will be negative to production.

Being able to move whenever and where you want creates a sense of freedom and independency, resulting in a more relaxed office.

In order to achieve the best results, try moving things around the office. Shared resources should be easily accessible to everyone – make sure they’re in a place where anyone in the office, no matter where they’re sitting, can access them. This includes printers, fax machines and stationary.

From office refurbishment in Manchester, to freelance interior designers in London, you’re never too far from professional help if you feel dwarfed by the task at hand – it’s always good to ask.

Privacy

If workers don’t have access to privacy, whether it’s at their own work space or on their lunch break, employees will begin to feel nervous about making mistakes, actually resulting in more mistakes being made.

By giving workers the privacy they’re entitled to, like individual desks or booths, performance results will improve as employees will feel more secure in their environment.

First and foremost, try to reduce distractions. Whether they’re visual or acoustic, from people conversing around your desk to loud conversations in the office, distractions need to be kept to a minimum. On the other hand, some people find it hard to work in silence; ask around and offer the option to the office staff.

Comfort

Comfort is also a big factor when aiming to improve productivity in the workplace. There’s nothing worse than sitting in an uncomfortable chair, or having to work at a hideous desk.

Comfort isn’t always physical, so if workers are physically relaxed as well as mentally, then they’ll be able to focus on their work instead of that lump of fabric hanging out of the chair arm.

By improving the lighting, air quality and temperature, workers will be able to adjust to their new environment while you carry on with the rest of the DIY – soft carpets, comfortable chairs and adjustable desks are a must.

Flexibility

When it comes to designing your work place, make sure you use materials that are easily configurable. This way, you’ll be able to move things about the office with easy without footing a hefty re-design bill. This includes interchangeable flooring, partition walls, pictures and other features that make the everyday office.

Make sure all new furniture is light weight and of a neutral colour. This will allow you to redecorate without having to change all of the furniture. Furthermore, don’t have permanent homes for office equipment – it will be easier to expand your working environment if you take on new employees.

This post was written on behalf of Opus-4.