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A working space is more than just a place to do your job. It’s where an employer and employees spend the majority of their time. The average person spends one-third of his or her life at work!
It’s a place where ideas are born and goals are achieved. A work environment can actually make or break a business. Nowadays, established companies have taken this into consideration by making their workspace bearable.
The current workforce (Millennials, in particular) admit they would be happy with a lower salary if it meant working for a company with a strong corporate culture and focus on work-life balance.
Take Google, for example. It offers fully immersive campuses and has ditched the usual cubicles and fluorescent lighting. The results? Employees are happier, and when employees are happy, it can lead to employee success.
Small but effective changes to the workspace can be made by anyone. You don’t have to turn your office into a Google campus. Here are some things that make a work environment ideal and how you can achieve it, too.
Solidarity
Other than a strong group of people, you need solidarity. Sure, a team of great people can help you achieve your goals, but behind that lies a purpose. Without working toward a greater goal, a team won’t have a purpose and would lack team spirit. The first thing you can do to improve your work environment is to make sure your team has the same vision and goals.
Communication
Communication isn’t just the most important aspect of business—it’s essential. Imagine working in an office where no one talks. It’s bound to get boring, and miscommunication and misunderstandings are bound to happen. Nurturing great communication will ensure that your employees communicate and collaborate effectively.
Create an open-space working environment to encourage communication among the staff (this will need to wait until a vaccine for COVID-19 has been developed). This way, management and employees mix and foster communication. Consider removing dividers such as walls to create a collaborative space between employees.
Creativity
Create a workspace that’s productive for employees. Promote creativity and collaboration. Some companies do this by having an aesthetically pleasing design and layout. Don’t be afraid to use accents and colors in your workspace. Have space where people can brainstorm their ideas. You can do this by providing a whiteboard or an inspiration board where people can share their ideas and opinions.
Division
Although open space is highly encouraged, sometimes people need high concentration to finish some tasks. So it’s recommended that an office has some private zones for meetings, tasks that need high concentration, or team catchups. The idea of open space doesn’t mean there’s no privacy. In fact, an intelligently designed office space will be a collection of spaces that facilitate activities performed by your business.
Private zones can be used as relaxation areas for employees. Small and short breaks can decompress a stressed mind and boost productivity. This will prevent employees from burning out.
Coffee
Keep those eyes open with a cup of joe. A great office can’t be without good coffee. Besides being a great conversation starter, coffee can help your employees keep themselves awake during morning meetings and throughout the day.
Technology
Your workspace needs to have up-to-date technology for your workforce to complete tasks. But this doesn’t mean you need to have the latest state-of-the art tech. It’s important to have all the software and hardware you need that will get the job done. For details, get an IT provision to figure out what your workspace needs.
Easy Access
Having an office that’s easy to access makes going to work a little bit better. Your office should be easy to access with elevators if you’re in a multi-story building, sufficient parking for employees, and suitable transport links.
Greens
Don’t hesitate to put in some plants in your office as they might help your office become a productive space. Office plants have become a growing phenomenon and have been proven to increase productivity and well-being.
Lighting
It’s important to have ample lighting. Dim lighting will promote relaxation and might make doing tasks a struggle since people will feel sleepy. The correct lighting will help combat fatigue and enhance well-being.
Flexibility
Nowadays, people don’t just look for high wages and employee benefits. Work-life balance have become essential when it comes to job hunting. Flexible working in terms of location and time in the office allows employees to live a life beyond the office and help them become more productive in what they do.
Comfort
Furniture in your workspace isn’t just for aesthetic purposes. It matters more than you think. Choose office furniture that will keep your employees happy and comfortable. Good-quality furniture in your office will ensure a better work environment and productive employees.
Andre Oentoro is the founder of Breadnbeyond, an award-winning explainer video company. He helps business increase conversion rates, close more sales, and get positive ROI from explainer videos (in that order). For more information:
Twitter: @breadnbeyond
E-mail: andre@breadnbeyond.com