Those who work full time in an office know how frustrating it can be to sit in the same place, in silent, staring at the same walls for eight hours a day. If the atmosphere in your office is dull and workers look tired and stressed there are many things you can do to improve it, here are the top 5;
Breaks
Make it compulsory that your staff go on regular breaks, often when staff are busy they tend to have their lunch at the desk but this however is not a proper break. Make sure your staff know that it is ok for them to leave the office for a short while to get some fresh air.
Team Building
In order to run a smooth business it is important that your team work together. Organise a staff dream building exercise. This can either be in the workplace or held outside of the workplace. Great teambuilding ideas are go karting, paint balling or archery.
Layout
It is important to ensure that your employees are comfortable in the office; comfortable enough to work efficiently but not so comfortable that they’re falling asleep. This often means thoughtful office space planning. Your employees should feel as though their personal space is not being invaded.
Ensure that you have a walkway of at least 150cm. This allows a space large enough between chairs when people are sitting at their desk.
Refreshments
Refreshments should be available for staff throughout the day to ensure that they remain hydrated. This will increase brain power and allow them to work more efficiently throughout the day. It is not compulsory to supply tea or coffee but it is good business practice to do so. Get each staff member to pay £1 per week into a pot to cover the costs of refreshments and if there is any left over at the end of the week spend it on cakes and cookies.
Recognition and Reward
It is highly important to show recognition for good work and to reward your staff on a regular basis either one a week or month. From a management perspective you are already rewarding them by paying their salary but additional bonuses will encourage them to work harder. Set targets to give staff a goal and something to work towards.
These top 5 tips are steps that should be taken to improve the atmosphere in your office. Put them in place and notice the difference in your workforce.
Jade works on behalf of Mission workplace coming up with inventive ideas for commercial office design.