The pandemic of the century has cornered most of us inside our homes. One by one, companies began shutting their businesses down for work from home setups. The frequency of work from home setups can either be none at all to five times a week. There is almost no in-between for most companies.
Fortunately, because of the slow rollout of the vaccination program of the federal government, more and more people are going back outside. There is a reasonable expectation for things to go back to a new normal within a few months. Almost twenty million people have been vaccinated their first dose, while almost three million and a few thousand more have received their second dose of the vaccine. Slowly, there is now hope for most offices and workplaces to come back to life.
However, it is not surprising that most people are quitting their current jobs and looking for alternative workspaces and work setups. Because of the long extended period they spent at home, they realized that going to the office might not be worth it. Most modern workspaces are cramped and have very stressful environments. Infrastructure plays a big role in managing how stressful life can be in the workplace. People always say that it can feel like a prison working in an office.
As a business owner, you should find a way to make your office space attractive to work in. While you might have a good job to offer potential employees, you might lose out on talent to rival ventures if the work environment becomes factored in. Most entrepreneurs give so little attention to how their own offices are designed. These spaces are highly owner-centric rather than employee-centric. The question you should ask yourself is: who will be working more than eight hour days in the office you so poorly designed?
Designing both the interior and exterior of your business venue can become a gruesome affair. However, there are a few ways you can redesign your business space to benefit your employees and their morale. Here are some suggestions:
Coworking Space Integration
Integrating the concept of coworking spaces into your office can be a great way to boost productivity and morale. Coworking spaces are arrangements made in office furniture that allows workers to work on their input anywhere they fashion. Believed to be a modern concept, coworking spaces encourage team play between workmates.
By having a certain space where you can hold informal meetings and consultations, you can encourage productive socialization between employees. You must always remember that your workers are humans as well. Human interaction is always essential for them to function properly. While cubicles can promote focus and privacy, their walls can sometimes be too restricting for people. Being alone in the cubicle and not knowing how time is passing can be extremely stressful and lead to depression.
Changing Ceiling Lighting
Studies show that office light, or mere lighting in general, can greatly affect the productivity of people working in that environment. Ceiling lighting is one of the most overlooked elements of office spaces. The light’s intensity is what employees work with most of the day. Depending on the location, these people might not be near a window where they can peak at the sun. The intensity of the light and how it fuses with their desks, personal computers, and the documents they handle have varied effects on different people.
Light can be nauseating. To diffuse the lighting, add Barnwood ceiling accent beams to the ceiling to absorb the white light your bulbs are giving out. Wooden structures such as beams are excellent pieces to add to offset the monotonous ambiance of the ceiling. It can also serve as a great supporting element to the entire building.
Adding Greens to the Work Diet
Physically having living plants inside your office space can help reduce stress in the workplace. It is a well-known fact that having green spaces in a mostly concrete-laden environment can limit toxicity by a large margin. As humans, we are greatly attuned to seeing plants and the beauty of nature. We are naturally attracted to greeneries. By having plants inside the office, you can expect morale to be slightly higher than normal. Their natural scent can also cushion the very toxic fumes office machines can give.
Having an employee-centric office space might go against the norm, but it is the correct way to retain employees. Offices spaces of old are all about efficiency. However, such a mindset can be very toxic in the long run. Keeping your employees in mind while designing the office space will make them feel wanted and happy in their work.
