Find out how you can increase the productivity of your employees simply by addressing the setup of the workplace itself
1. Encourage team players
Opt to feature company branding in the decor as much as possible. This can be in the form of a corporate banner or a framed team photo on the wall, and you can also share out logo-embossed premium items, like coffee mugs and pencil holders. This will help to remind personnel that they’re all working together towards the same goal.
2. Prioritise communication
The majority of modern offices are designed on an open plan, and not just to make the most of space. Allowing your staff to interact with each other openly will create a relaxed atmosphere, as well as boost relationships between workers. A boxy layout, on the other hand, will make staff feel restricted and impair communication.
3. Promote good business practice
Remember that in an open-plan office, employees working at desks that face common areas, doors, or thoroughfares will experience many interruptions throughout the day. To solve this problem, set up half-partitions to separate individual desks, or group key departments together spatially by turning a few desks inwards.
4. Cater to the individual
Staff must feel comfortable in the workplace, and that obviously involves providing them with taskspecific, ergonomic equipment and furniture. This will increase employees’ efficiency and prove that you are concerned about their long-term health and well being. If you can afford it, throw in a few extras too, like microwaves and coffee machines.
5. Set clear targets
If deadlines are especially important in your office think about implementing a large task board on which employees can constantly check due dates and upcoming tasks. This is particularly useful for sales staff, as a board outlining monthly targets will help them keep their eye on the ball, and can encourage healthy competition.
6. Empower employees
Give each employee a bit of personal space surrounding their desk, ideally on the wall in the form of a bulletin board. You can then encourage them to make this space their own by displaying personal memorabilia or work reminders. Staff will enjoy feeling that they ‘own’ a specific section of the office, and that they can make decisions relating to it.
7. Promote a healthy atmosphere
Lighting plays a big part in the mood and feel of an office, so try to ensure that your employees are getting enough of it. Rooms with large windows that allow natural light to come in are ideal, as they help you to save on electricity as well. Make sure that you buy heavy-duty blinds for all windows, lest the midday glare becomes too much.
8. Be green
Try to get an office with rooftop access or a balcony (even if it is a common area to be shared with others in your building). This will enable employees to take short rejuvenating breaks throughout the day. If that’s not possible, bring the outside in: a few strategically placed plants will spruce up the office aesthetically, and improve air quality.
9. Involve yourself
Try to resist the temptation to set yourself and your chief executives up in plush private offices to the back of your workplace. It’s important that everyone is treated equally, so modern thinking has the boss and his immediate cronies mucking in with the rest. This way, you will be seen as approachable, hands-on and actively involved.
10. Employ the latest technology
It’s a good idea to hook your employees up to MSN Messenger as this will speed up inter-office communication, and you can also consider going wireless so that staff have the option to work in privacy away from their desks. If you are part of a global group, don’t settle for making conference calls, make use of Skype and the intranet to share ideas.
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