How to Design an Office that Boosts Productivity

Did you know that office decor affects staff performance? Among the dynamic factors are lighting, furniture, and office layout. Colors and natural elements also impact efficiency. Savvy office design can help your business flourish. Here are six ways to boost productivity:

Maximize natural light

Glass partitions will brighten your office and increase visibility. Your staff will be energized by light-filled rooms. A 2013 Northwestern University study found that working in natural light improves well-being. Employees experience upbeat moods and quality sleep, from the positive effect of light on circadian cycles. Our biological clocks need light to regulate hormones, temperature, waking and sleeping.

Glass partitions accommodate a growing workforce. They’re easily assembled, and can be moved and rebuilt as your spatial needs change. As part of your building facade, glass walls provide outdoor views. In your lobby, they’re welcoming. Floor-to-ceiling glass beautifies offices and conference rooms, and finally it ensures auditory privacy by being acoustically dampening.

Between panel based workstations, glass allows workers to see each other, promoting communication. In cubicles, replacing solid panels with glass offers a classy feel. In an open floor plan, partitions create a sense of personal space. You’ll be delighted with the productivity sparked by installing glass walls!

Provide ergonomic equipment

To support good posture and body mechanics, buy high-quality commercial business furniture. If your employees are uncomfortable, they won’t be able to focus. Poor-fitting chairs and desks trigger joint aches and agitation.

Equip your office with adjustable, cushioned chairs, and make sure your employees follow these ergonomic guidelines:

• Select the right seat height. For computer work, the top third of the screen should be at eyebrow level, so the chin isn’t tilted. Sit an arm’s length from the computer screen.
• Adjust the chair back, so posture is slightly reclining. This position reduces spinal pressure, preventing low back pain. Also place a lumbar cushion at the lower spine, supporting normal curvature.
• Sit with thighs parallel to the floor and elbows at right angles to the floor. Hold wrists nearly straight.
• Rest feet completely on the floor. Employees short in stature can use a footrest.

Help prevent wrist strain by supplying ergonomic keyboards and mice. To keep equipment within easy reach, provide mobile carts.

Ensure adequate storage

Give your staff enough shelves, bookcases, and filing cabinets to stay organized. Storage units will spare them from being overwhelmed or distracted by stacks of work.

Choose panel based workstations that include durable storage units. There are many furniture collections for private offices that are luxurious, made with upscale materials, and have a sophisticated style and offer great storage space.

Feature productive colors

Studies show that colors trigger physical, mental, and emotional effects. Certain hues increase efficiency, depending on the type of work. Saturated colors are invigorating, and soft shades are soothing. Here’s how to tailor color to your staff departments.

• Blue – Feature this calming color in areas where employees must concentrate, such as accounting, payroll, and finance. Teal and light blue promote collaboration in conference rooms.
• Green – Easy on the eyes, green aids employees who primarily work on computers. For employees putting in long days, green can help them work steadily without fatigue.
• Yellow – Inspiring creativity, this sunny color suits designers, writers, and graphic artists. In your break rooms and cafeteria, yellow is conducive to socialization. However, use this color as an accent since too much can prompt aggravation.
• Red – Revving circulation, red is ideal for physically active workers. Add touches of red in production, packaging, and shipping departments. For night staff, accent with red to foster alertness. Or use it where workers spend limited time, such as hallways and restrooms. Note that excessive red stirs up agitation.

Tailor office layouts to work type

Employees who must concentrate intensely are best in floor to ceiling cubicles. Private offices give leaders the quiet they need for decision-making. Open plan workstations suit employees who collaborate. However, the noise level can be distressing. Here are ways to maintain productivity.

Nooks

Position furniture to form private spaces. Use walls, couches, and desks to designate areas for focused work. Small conference rooms can host meetings and confidential phone calls. Allocate corners of your office as alcoves. Our guest and multipurpose seating creates cozy niches.

Mobility

Consider flexible seating arrangements, like “musical chairs.” This design enables staff to work where they function best. Some may wish to sit near quiet coworkers. Others might favor animated colleagues to discuss ideas. Letting your staff move around at will can sustain their productivity. Switching environments spurs alertness by shifting gears in the brain.

If this style isn’t practical for your office, you can achieve the same result with scheduled breaks. Then provide several areas for staff migration at specified times, such as your kitchen, break rooms, cafeteria, conference rooms, etc.

Modular Options

Take advantage of our movable furniture, walls, and cabling. They can be reconfigured so employees can work both together and alone, easily changing modes. For this purpose, remanufactured workstations are ideal.

Choose from recycled inventory while specifying the materials that suit your decor. Buying commercial office furniture that’s recycled supports our environment.

Decorate with plants

In 2015, an Australian study concluded that plants can boost staff performance by fifteen percent. Green offices improve concentration, air quality, and worker satisfaction. Indoor landscaping sends a message to your workers that you care about their well-being. Conversely, minimalist offices give a stoic impression.

Plants make offices healthier by humidifying and filtering air and supplying oxygen. By absorbing sound, they can reduce noise. Seeing green foliage helps workers relax and feel less stressed.

Proximity to nature also enhances mental processing and dexterity. Employees will work more efficiently and productively. Plus, beauty is uplifting! Below are plants that thrive in office environments:

• Bamboo
• Chinese Evergreen
• Corn Plant
• Dragon Tree
• Pothos
• Peace Lily
• Philodendron
• Spider Plant

Your Booming Business

Boost staff productivity by upgrading your decor. Glass walls will brighten your office. Ergonomic equipment promotes comfort and concentration. Adequate storage keeps clutter at bay.

Tailor your layouts to suit various types of work, then decorate with vibrant colors and indoor plants. Your business will be booming!

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