It’s safe to say that the American workplace is in dire need of a makeover. Fluorescent lighting, drab colors, and dinky cubicles? No thank you! Your ability to focus is truly affected by your physical environment. If you’re looking to up productivity levels in the office and increase overall employee well-being, you need to check the facts!
Research in science and design have chosen a few key steps you can take to engineer the perfect workspace for your business. They fall under three specific categories: lighting, space, & decor.
Lighting:
Windows. Workers in offices with windows, who experience greater light exposure, get more and better sleep at night than those who work in windowless offices. Bonus: natural light sources can “green” your office by reducing your electric bill!
Ambient lighting. Surprise! That fluorescent light is a no-go. Dimmer-lit spaces may promote creativity.
Space:
Barriers or walls to block noise. Open offices are more likely to perceive noise than those in cellular offices, in addition to temperature-related discomfort and poor air quality. Noise is also a common cause of distraction in open offices. The bottom line: we could all use a little quiet time!
Personalized Individual Spaces. Employees who can customize their space with personal photos and decor are up to 32% more productive than those who were not able to customize their office space. Employees with control over their space also more closely identify with their employer. We appreciate the freedom!
Variety Of Spaces. Of the most important features an office can have? A variety of spaces to perform tasks. Visual elements that break up space create a varied environment that can be an asset to productivity. It also provides employees with choice, which keeps everyone happy.
Decor:
Plants. Green plants have a tremendous impact on happiness. Indoor plants also improve the quality of air, which leads to less germs and sickness. Two thumbs up for good health!
Pops Of Color. The psychology of color plays a big factor in the “feel” of an environment. Blue is intellectually stimulating, yellow inspires creativity, red affects the physical body and green inspires calm and balance. Our office has blue accents. What about yours?
Art. Aside from bringing life to bare walls, art is calming to the gaze. Looking at photos of nature could also give you a cognitive boost, researchers have found.
After finding your perfect office space, it is important to optimize it for employee productivity and happiness. So, what changes will you be making to improve your office environment?
(Information and research cited via Huff Post.)
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Great post Holly. I particularly like your infographic at the end. I have to admit that my office could do with some work. I do have some ambient lighting and windows but the colours are very neutral. I always believe that if you find out something useful you need to take action on it. As such I’ll be going out this weekend to find some pictures and plants and add some colour into my office. Thanks Holly!
Hi Clive, happy to hear this post motivated you! We recently updated our office space into something stylish and hip. It’s comfortable for us, and appealing to prospect renters that come into the office. Visual cues are huge!
My office is in my home and I love my room. It is painted blush latte.I have a window & I look out often, work with great natural light, surrounded by wicker baskets on shelves, favorite art and mirrors and a small couch covered in Victorian fabric.. Now, it sounds lovely but truth be told, I have messy piles of papers, stuff on shelves & files & things I don’t know what to do with.
When I worked in offices, never had a cubicle- dont think i’d like the feel of those walls but always had a window & some privacy. I am someone who adapts easily to my surroundings. What is most important to me in my physical environment is color & aethetics. I get more done when my eyes are happy.
I have the luxury of working at home. I have windows, lighting, color, art and the perk of being to walk into any other room to take a break or just change the scene. I once had an office without an outside window and I hated it. I would never design spaces like that. Our surroundings really affect our moods and our productivity.
The ability to walk away is so nice with having a home office! I definitely need some natural light and color in my work space.
LOVE this topic!!! I am currently working on decorating my home office to better get the creative juices flowing. POPS of color from art and wall colors have been my focus.
Can’t wait to see the photos you post 🙂
All good points, Holly. Love the different ways you showed the information. For me, I work in a home office with one window that faces west, so the light (and heat) can get intense. But as I read your post, I opened the blinds, and lo and behold, it’s so much nicer in here! Thanks!
Oh so happy to have helped, Carol! Natural light does wonders. Maybe you can let the blinds down during the hottest parts of the day.
Like others you have posted, I work from home & love my office space. I have always been greatly effected by my physical surrounds and cannot possibly work unless all is order first. Helps to think clearly! And. although I know what I like i found it helpful to hire an interior decorator to pull it all together. I was amazed at how much better I was able to work when it all flowed so nicely!
Interior decorators have a special gift at pulling little details together that the average person wouldn’t think of! Your office sounds like it’s the perfect environment to settle in and charge full-force ahead with!
My office space has lots of noise due to how it’s built. There’s no privacy at all. I see room for improvement. And I know that change would result in productivity and happiness.
Great tips in this article! Will share it with my co-workers.
Thank you!
Hi Lumbie, I hope this helps! I love pinning office decor on pinterest– it’s always inspiring to see how others have pulled together their work space. You’ll have to let me know when you put forth a change!
These are ALL great comments Holly and another one is that I am a people person, so don’t stick baby in the corner.. I love being close to people to chat with and I hate the quiet… however, I totally agree, having access to the outside world (a window) is such a nice treat. Placement and distance from the supplies, copiers and such is important depending on what you do too. Great job!
LOL nobody puts baby in the corner, you’re right! I love offices that flow freely or have that open-air vibe.
Love your opening para, too! It caught my attention.
I find the topic of office space so intriguing as it reflects current urban trends…communication styles…physcial needs.
Have you seen the new stand-up computer desks, too?
I am so jealous of the new trends in office decor and planning. If I am not out in the community for events, I am working from home and while I’ve made my home office my own, it still isn’t the same. Great post Holly!
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