The work environment is crucial for productivity. Without a charming and inviting workspace, many people will see a decline in their efforts because of a dark and lifeless workplace. Learning how to create a productive work environment through design gives you a few ideas that help liven the place up and change people’s moods.
Acquire Ergonomic Chairs
Working in an office will have people sitting for multiple hours a day. While sitting may initially feel more comfortable than standing, it can also lead to hours of bad posture. This will eventually add up, causing nagging pain in your back, shoulders, and neck.
Ergonomic desk chairs combat this problem by being comfortable and supportive. This chair design sets itself apart from the conventional chairs you’ve used until now. Ergonomically sound chairs in the workplace can help employees feel more at ease while working.
Get Stand-Sit Desks
Everyone who has taken a long road trip knows how good it feels to get out of the vehicle and stretch their legs. After a few hours of sitting, it’s easy for our bodies to feel tight from being so constricted.
That feeling can occur when sitting far too long in an office chair. Unfortunately, the traditional office setting doesn’t allow you to sift through a spreadsheet while trying to loosen up by standing. Because of this, sit-stand desks are the best of both worlds.
A flexible desk like this lets folks continue to work when they need to limber up. So there’s no need to stop crunching the numbers because you want to stand for a few minutes. Once you feel like you’re loose as a goose, you can assume the seating position.
Find the Right Temperature
The wars people wage regarding the thermostat at home pale compared to the battles in the office. When some individuals are comfortable, another group is too warm or cold. It can be a struggle trying to find the best temperature that leads to the most productivity.
When it is too chilly in the office, many folks’ muscles tense up, leading to pain and discomfort. On the other hand, feeling warm and comfortable leads to friendlier behavior because human beings seek warmth from birth.
Ideally, someplace around 71 to 73 degrees Fahrenheit is the optimal temperature that should please mostly everyone. However, that figure is relative to who is in the office and how they feel.
Make Windows Accessible
Everybody has those days when they can’t seem to get out of bed, and it takes all they have to keep their eyes open. If employees don’t have much access to a window, they may experience low energy and general lethargy throughout the day.
Window access at your workstation should add pep to their step, considering natural sunlight is something our bodies react positively to.
An office space shouldn’t make anyone feel like they’re serving time in solitary confinement, so it’s integral that every work area has natural lighting seeping in. Otherwise, some individuals may need an extra cup of joe to jumpstart their day.
Provide Superior Lighting
When the architecture of the building doesn’t allow everyone to see the morning sun, it’s vital to mimic its effects with high-quality lighting.
Having enough lighting in the workplace is crucial since it may directly impact worker productivity. Proper illumination not only improves safety and productivity in the workplace but also decreases the likelihood that workers may experience a wide range of health issues. After all, it helps make the office more pleasant and productive. Additionally, it allows for significant energy and financial savings if it involves LED PAR lamps.
Incorporate Plants
Biophilic design is an approach to architecture and interior design that advocates bringing natural elements into human-made environments. This concept is as old as time, and is becoming increasingly important because modern city and workplace environments can keep you from seeing the world’s natural beauty.
There’s a correlation between the lack of exposure to nature and increased stress, reducing creativity and productivity. The obvious benefit of having plants in the office is that they provide more color and liveliness to the environment.
Create a Comfortable Collaboration Area
Huddling together in a small break room for a team meeting isn’t helping anyone. The only thing on many people’s minds in this situation is how uncomfortable they are, which destroys any chance of anyone having creative input.
An area dedicated to collaboration is a great way to get the juices flowing and find a solution to any problems a team faces. Filling the room with everything the overall office should have, such as ergonomic chairs, bright lighting, and plant life, will ensure people are at ease and ready to think. Add a few cozy couches and maybe even a game table or two, and you have a place that’ll foster the brightest ideas.
Offer Private Focus Rooms
In contrast to the open, fun-filled brainstorming room, private focus room allow people to eliminate distractions and focus on the job. Between the daily friendly mingling and office chatter, workers could lose their train of thought. Hopefully, it’s only for a brief instance, but it could derail their efforts for the next 15 minutes or more if it’s agitating enough.
Private focus rooms give employees a place to migrate to when the outside noise is too much to bear. A brief timeout can help people recalibrate themselves and take on the most difficult tasks. They can take time to recenter themselves if they don’t feel right because this room is perfect for meditating and getting in the right state of mind.
Consider the Flow
A contributing factor to an ergonomically approved workstation is the fluidity in people’s movements. An area where someone feels cramped can be suffocating. However, a workstation that allows a free flow of movements gives individuals the breathing room they need.
Try to make a cohesive work area that provides room and organization. Think of your area as a chef does a kitchen. The top chefs arrange the kitchen so that they can get from station to station as quickly and easily as possible. That should be the goal whenever you want to create ample space for where you do most of your job.
We hope you can implement some of these ideas in the office after learning how to create a productive work environment through design. Putting in new windows may be more challenging than other changes, so let Stylighting supply the high-quality lighting necessary to do its best work. We have a great selection of several light fixtures that can help any workplace shine!
