Make the office as attractive as possible so that staff look forward to being there.
Creating a work environment that looks great does not have to entail expensive interior decorators. If painting the walls isn’t an option, make the walls more cheerful with posters or paintings – even if these are confined to the break room. Filling the work environment with plants can turn a bland space into something that looks brilliant. Artificial plants – if natural plants are not suitable – also go a long way. In addition, allowing employees to bring in personal items to brighten up their desks is a good way to help them feel at home.
Meeting and exceeding basic environmental requirements such as ideal temperature and lighting gives your workforce optimum comfort
Temperature and lighting are basic environmental conditions that have a huge impact on productivity. The work environment should neither be too hot nor too cold and there should be solutions available to adjust the temperature quickly and easily. Dips in concentration can be avoided by making sure the office gets fresh air, as opposed to air conditioning. Ensure that there is as much natural lighting as possible for everyone in the office and that artificial lighting is not too bright, whilst still being adequate for working.
Valuing, training and supporting employees as well as ensuring communication flows well, makes all aspects of the business flow well, too.
All who work in a shared work environment understand the role of effective communication in achieving goals. All members of the team need to feel they are being listened to and can voice their opinion. Nothing is worse for motivation than to feel as if your views are not valued or that your superiors do not trust your abilities. Adequate training is a must for everyone on your team. Lack of training negatively impacts the business as a whole and impacts the motivation of the individual. It is also important to make sure there are separate areas to talk, brainstorm and be noisy and other areas that are dedicated ‘quiet spaces’ so that work can get done without distraction.
Colleagues who are given freedom, security and safety at work will feel happier, more comfortable and better able to work efficiently.
You want the work environment to be safe and secure, but also afford an amount of freedom to employees. Introducing flexi-time, a more casual dress code and quick and easy access to company buildings will make staff feel more at home and less institutionalised. Safety and security need not fall away simply because you have granted them more freedom. Every office has thousands of Rands worth of equipment – computers, copiers, personal effects – that need to be kept secure for peace of mind and financial reasons. Yet, a secure office need not feel like a barracks. There are many CCTV systems that are so discreet they might be confused with a light fitting. The same goes for fire and smoke detectors – another office essential.
Creating the ideal work environment for your office is not as complicated as it sounds and underlies whether or not your whole team makes a success of the business. Get in touch with our team to find out about solutions that could make everything at work run smoother.
image credit: minutu.com
[hs_action]
