Careful thought should go into the design of your office. Paying attention to these details can lead to happier, more productive people. Since you and your employees will be spending a good portion of your lives at the workplace, it only makes sense to set it up with these factors in mind.
Customize Your Spaces According to Need
At one time, the open office was all the rage. However, it turns out that this model leads to stressed-out, unhappy employees who do less work and take more sick days. A better strategy is to take a careful look at the tasks you want to complete and then create tailored environments where they are to be accomplished. For instance, set up a teamwork room for collaborative meetings, a thinking center for that all-important solo creative time and a fun room to be used during breaks and lunchtime. Outfit each with low-priced items from Bell Modular Systems, and you will have all the necessary ingredients to get the job done.
Put Some Light on the Subject
If your environment is dark and drab, this dinginess will be reflected in your workers’ moods as well as in the number of things that get done. If possible, let more natural light and sunshine into the space by opening blinds or changing window treatments. If this is not practical, install indirect light, which gives its own soft glow and does not lead to headaches, fatigue or eye strain as a darker space would.
Make it Colorful
No one wants to stare at stark, white walls. In keeping with your various work themes, make each a different color. Red is said to promote attention to detail; blue aids productivity and green fosters creativity. Using paint to make a fun and diverse visual palate removes some of the stodginess of the workplace, making accomplishing even the most routine tasks a bit more fun.
Keep the Noise Down
It’s called noise pollution for a reason. Unwanted sounds can distract people and lead to stress, irritability, depression and a lower ability to function. For that reason, set up an environment that is quiet. If staff members want to listen to music while working, require them to use headphones. If you can afford it, you might even want to install a sound masking system throughout your office that covers up the sound of speech and other auditory distractions.
When the people you hire are happier and less stressed, they can do their jobs better and interact with others with fewer conflicts. By making your space both visually appealing and functional, you can accomplish tasks and build your team with ease. Office design is not just for the architects among us; it is a project every entrepreneur should embrace.