Happier employees are generally more productive, which is why it is vital to create an environment which is both comfortable and practical for them to work in. It is possible to significantly increase productivity through workplace design. If it is not viable to make drastic changes to your workplace, it is possible make a difference even by making what might seem to be minor changes.
The first way to increase the productivity of your employees is to create a comfortable environment. By introducing ergonomic furniture to provide back support, or simply encouraging employees to properly adjust their chair to make sure that they are not straining to reach things, and can sit with their back straight. Ensuring the physical well-being of employees will allow them to be more productive.
Interestingly, colour has been shown to have an effect on workplace productivity. For example, yellow stimulates creativity, and green can have a calming effect. Less intense, less saturated colours will evoke emotions of calm, which may benefit employees with a heavy or stressful workload by helping them to relax, which can increase their long-term productivity.
Working in natural light can improve focus, so allowing as many employees to sit by a window as possible can have a positive impact. However, if this is not possible, there are other options such as optimising your lighting choices. For example, simply the presence of a potted plant on a desk has been shown to maximise attention, as well as filtering the air to provide a healthier workplace environment.
Layout plays a substantial role in increasing productivity in the workplace. Providing a tidy place of work will increase organisation, whilst implementing a ‘clear desk’ rule will not only inspire employees to scan and order documents effectively, but it will save time. Work filed online should be organised according to an agreed system, with documents named clearly so that they are easily and quickly accessible. Regular clear-outs should be required to maintain the space created, getting rid of unnecessary documents, whether physical or stored on the computer.
It is also imperative that employees are able to move around, walk around, or even have a separate area to which they may move to work if necessary to maximise concentration on a specific task.
Any physical workplace design should be complimented by a mental and emotional environment where employees are able to move around and feel comfortable.
Evidently though, there are a huge amount of benefits which arise from the design of a workplace, contributing to the overall increase in employee productivity.
