The Bureau of Labor Statistics found that in May 2019, Americans worked an average of 34.4 hours per week. With so much time being spent in the office, the workplace design can have a significant effect on productivity, a fact that’s been proven by numerous studies.
Hence, the layout of the workplace has become an important decision. Managers need to carefully consider it and do what they can to optimize workplace productivity.
If you find yourself planning an office redesign or setting up an office for the first time, it may be helpful to learn about the effects of design on employees’ work performance. Here’s how you can effectively use the various components of design to boost company efficiency.
Why is Office Space Design Crucial?
It’s no secret that our surroundings have an impact on us. Our emotions, mood, health, motivation, and efficiency are tied to the environment we’re in. Furthermore, our motivation directly determines the amount, quality and consistency of our work.
When polling professionals about the impact of environmental factors, 46% of them said that the interior of their offices can make or break their work efficiency.
Motivation is the driving force behind the actions we take. Without a strong motivation to consistently drive good performance, work quality will eventually decline. Thus, giving your employees a good environment to function in can motivate them and make them want to give back.
How Can You Build the Perfect Office Space?
Now that you’ve learned why office interior design matters, you can move onto the next stage of your journey to transform your firm into an efficient powerhouse. Here’s how you can get started:
- Use Digitrio to Create the Perfect Plan for a Successful Office Redesign
Before you rush into anything, sit down and think. The foundations of your workplace design depends on the hurdles that your team faces, their particular work styles, and how their respective office spaces help them to achieve their goals. You can use your employees’ opinions to help you answer any questions you may have.
Ideally, you may want to consult the experts. This is where Digitrio comes in. Digitrio is a business that functions through the collaborative efforts of highly creative minds to help you build all kinds of feasible and innovative strategies for a thriving business.
- Build a Workplace That Fits Your Employees’ Characteristics and Preferences
Everyone falls somewhere between the introversion and extroversion scale. Thus, their personalities are affected by their levels of comfort with social interactions. As a manager, you need to design a workplace that balances these differences in personality traits so that everyone feels comfortable.
For example, you should have a room with natural lighting and whiteboards that functions as a meeting room as well as other smaller spaces where people can have some alone time.
Furthermore, you have to include harsher rooms as well as softer rooms. The former are spaces reserved just for work activities while the latter type is excellent for recreational activities and breaks.
- Select an Appropriate Budget
Office designing is costly. You’ll need to buy lots of expensive furniture and your choice of furniture depends on two major factors: your personality and your future outlook.
Perhaps you’re looking for the sophistication and practical look of IKEA furniture, or you want something more niche like the avant-garde and non-conventional furniture made by local artisans.
If you already have an idea or vision of what you want your office to look like, you might want to take that into account. This will affect how long you keep your furniture.
- Know How to Apply Basic Human Instinct Concepts for Your Benefit
Certain stimuli increases engagement with others. This is a result of natural biological tendencies that people are born with. Managers can use these stimuli to boost enthusiasm and output.
- Lighting
Lighting is one of the most important factors behind workplace productivity and motivation. Poor lighting can cause eye strain, migraines, lethargy, and an overall bad temper. Being exposed to dark spaces over a long time may even lead to depression.
Managers must know about the three kinds of lighting. Natural lights keep the circadian rhythm in check, stimulate a better mood and promote vitamin D production. Warm lights create a serene and cozy ambiance, and cooler lights encourage cooperation and decrease lethargy.
You can intensify the positive benefits of good lighting by using mirrors and curtains.
- Colors
Studies have found that colors have a significant impact on the way people feel. The color blue is calming and can boost productivity while the color red induces passion and love. You can paint the different rooms of your office depending on the kind of activities the room will be used for. Personal workspaces could be painted blue or green while recreation zones can be painted a happy yellow.
Generally, a fresh coat of paint can contribute to an increase in productivity and boost morale. Remodelling your office should include updating your bathroom as well. With One Point Partitions, renovating is a hassle-free process.
- Nature
Being in touch with nature doesn’t have to be something that’s only done on vacation. You can get your office some minimal maintenance plants such as Pothos, Rubber Plants, Philodendrons, etc. They are a surprisingly effective way to boost mood and air quality, as well as muffle noise.
- Temperature
A 2006 study done by the Helsinki University of Technology revealed that the perfect temperature range for maximizing productivity is between 69.8 and 71.6 degrees Fahrenheit. This is because temperatures outside this range require your body to work at regulating its temperature and being too hot or too cold can be distracting.
- Room Aromas
Smells can be powerful enough to alter emotions, perceptions, and output. Some scents that can be useful in the workplace include:
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- Pine and cinnamon to boost focus
- Lavender, peppermint, and citrus to reduce stress and improve mood
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You can add these smells to your workplace by using lightly scented candles or a few drops of essential oils.
- Snacks and Drinks
It’s cheaper to push the packaged and processed options as refreshments to your employees but the right nutrition is necessary for a healthy body and mind. You can introduce healthier options like fruits and salads, and encourage employees to stay hydrated. This will also improve their concentration.
- Office Furniture
The ideal workplace seating arrangements should include slightly reclined chairs to reduce pressure on the spine and the risk of developing back pain.
You should also organize the seating areas close enough to water to encourage staying hydrated but far enough from the bathroom to movement. Sitting for prolonged periods of time is not good for the health.
When deciding on the material of your furniture, consider these four types:
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- Glass can look harsh on its own and is very delicate. It can be softened using items like small fruit baskets and coasters to prevent noise when setting down coffee mugs.
- Metal is long-lasting but cold and harsh looking.
- Wood channels a very comforting energy and looks natural. However, it can be damaged by temperature and is prone to stains.
- Fabric or animal skin. Employees might be allergic or offended by its use. It’s important to consider these factors before making a purchase.
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- Paintings
Having eye-catching works of art hanging on the walls of your office has been shown to increase creativity and output. When buying art, avoid cliches like the plague. Go for something non-conventional but inspiring to look at.
- Office Dashboard
An active indicator of performance goes a long way to show employees how their efforts are helping the company flourish. It creates the drive to perform well consistently. Therefore, a dashboard is an essential part of a productive office.
Conclusion
Coming up with the perfect blueprint of your desired workplace takes a lot of trial and error. You’ll need to do tons of research. The journey may be tough and intimidating but the end result will be worth it when you have a highly functioning organization. Hopefully, this article has given you an idea of where to start.