Going to an office each day probably entails sitting down at your desk, warming up your chair, or having no concerns about your surroundings. What you might not know, however, is that your workspace or that home office space you are constrained to may be impacting you in extremely negative ways.
It is in fact recorded, in the most recent studies, that many employees tend to be disgruntled by office conditions; from the lighting quality (or lack thereof) to the office design and the sound patterns or the limitations on space. Being limited to a specific working space or building might make it difficult for you to see your working space in a new light. Fortunately for you, there are things that you, and your company, can do to improve on these ‘unseen issues.’
5 Ways to Boost Employee Engagement
Here are some of the simplest yet effective ways to boost your employees’ productivity and make significant improvements to your workspace.
1. Consult Your Team
Your employees are the best people to consult about what working conditions would best work for them. Ensure that as you ask you build trust and foster deeper relationships with rather than breeding fear and distrust.
You also need to remember that face-to-face conversations work effectively than mandatory email surveys. You allow your employees to open up and speak freely, if they feel that their opinions are being valued and taken into consideration when decisions are made, they are more likely to feel motivated and will likely be more productive at work.
At the same time, you should also consider creating and devoting an office email for airing out concerns about office design, creating a virtual suggestion box, or establishing working hours for design-related conversations.
2. Stay Consistent with Your Company Brand
You need to ensure that you match your office design to the company brand. It serves as not only a functional piece but also as a powerful communication tool that sends a message to your clients about they can expect from your brand. So, think of unique ways to make your office reflect your brand.
If you are into fitness, a treadmill desk and an on-site gym will give you an added advantage. Likewise, if you are in the health business, an indoor veggie garden or organic cafeteria goes a long way in communicating your company’s values and interests to clients and employees.
3. Give Your Employees Freedom of Choice
Giving your workers autonomy and offering options goes a long way into cementing your relationship with them.
According to a Gensler survey, when you empower your employees with the autonomy to move to different workspaces, they become more productive and work-oriented.
So, set aside areas for various purposes; quiet office spaces are excellent for phone conversations and projects that require focus, collaborative working areas are ideal for group-oriented tasks, and café spaces are incredible for socializing with colleagues or clients.
Keep in mind that all areas should be kept clean, neat and clutter free, a professional cleaning service that comes in regularly to vacuum and dust regularly will go a long way to improving employees satisfaction with their environment.
Employees are at their most innovative frame of mind when they spend less time at their desks and more in collaborating and socially connecting in the conference rooms, open meeting areas, and café spaces.
4. Provide Your Employees with Quality Lighting
Natural sunlight is incredible for health and productivity. According to recent studies, employees that toil in offices with windows sleep an average of 46 more minutes a night, and they tend to also perform 25% better on tasks that require mental function and memory recall.
If your offices lack natural lighting from windows or skylights, make sure that you put in extra effort and provide your staff with sufficient light. Studies also show that investing in high-temperature lighting helps in enhancing alertness, and it works best in individual workplace and collaboration areas.
Lower-temperature lighting, on the other hand, makes employees feel calm, and it suits meeting rooms best. You also need to consider mimicking the outdoor natural light rhythm indoors with a circadian lighting system, to help improve your employees’ health and productivity.
5. Invest in Inspiring Office Décor
The color scheme of an office dramatically affects your employees’ moods and motivation.White and beige wall colors, for example, make people feel sad. Green and blue, on the other hand, are soothing, whereas certain shades of orange and yellow are inviting.However, specific patterns like stripes and checks can cause distractions and headaches.
So, when considering the office décor, ensure that you choose the right color scheme. It is also essential to consider putting up nature-related items. Employees that have a clear view of the outdoors hardly miss out on work have reduced mental fatigue and improved productivity. Adding indoor plants into your office also assists in boosting productivity.
There are a variety of things to consider including putting up an ionic air purifier for excellent quality air and investing in a powerful vacuum cleaner for extensive cleaning and maintaining a perfect working environment.
All you need to remember is that your organization, workplace, and employees are unique. Therefore, ensure that you capitalize on what your space has to offer, whether it is natural lighting or a large common area. With these simple approaches, you will boost your employees’ morale, productivity, and engagement rather than making them stressed out and frustrated.
