Many employers don't want to believe it, but the truth is that office design plays a huge role in employee productivity, thus affecting the business. When the layout of the office is not good, it can make workers feel frustrated and sluggish, and badly-designed furniture can reduce workflow and mental focus. However, with just a small remodel of your office, you can elevate all the beneficial things and reduce all the negatives. Here are a few tips on office furnishing that can boost both satisfaction and productivity at work.
Think in 90-degree angles
Being seated in one position for hours on end is very bad for health and life/job satisfaction. Luckily, in order to battle this plague, many companies chose to invest in ergonomic setups that will not only boost productivity but also care for the employees' health and well-being. Adjustable chairs and desks are the bare minimum for ergonomics, but when they combine with well-designed PC equipment, satisfaction and productivity can both increase.
For many workers, body aches, headaches, and muscle soreness are regular occurrences that can be rectified easily if you think of 90-degree angles. For instance, the furniture in your office should allow your legs to be placed at an 89-degree angle and resting on a flat surface. This allows healthy positioning of the spine, allows good blood flow, and reduces pain.
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Use modular furniture
Modular furniture is furniture that can be mixed, matched, and customized according to your needs. It allows you to add or remove components in order to achieve top comfort and satisfy users' needs. With modular furniture, you can create a workspace that will fit your employees' requirements to a T. One of the best things you can do for your employees is to invest in movable furniture, such as furniture with wheels on the bottom, fold-able furniture, lightweight furniture, etc. A lot of things can be movable, from chairs and desks to even shelves. This way, if a worker is not satisfied with their position in the office or they need to move to do a conference call, they can move their furniture until they manage to create a perfect setup.
Include standing desks and foot comfort
Standing desk chairs are an amazing addition to any office”they reduce fatigue, encourage blood flow, lower the risk of obesity and decrease blood sugar levels. It also reduces pressure from the back, allowing a pain-free workday. These desks are quite popular around the world, but places like Hong Kong are rapidly investing in them for their employees. And to provide extra comfort to employees who are standing, it's smart to check out rugs in Hong Kong and enrich your employees' offices with extra comfort and softness. Rugs not only add comfort, but also liven up the space and add personality, so they are a good office idea in many cases.
Photo by Austin Distel on Unsplash
Provide furniture with more storage
It's impossible to have too much storage at the office (or anywhere else really), so when purchasing furniture, make sure to check the storage situation. Closed storage like drawers and cabinets is the best solution because they hide clutter and provide peace of mind to both workers and clients. And don't forget bookshelves for displaying significant items.
Consider lighting
Drab lighting is the bane of productivity because it can quickly turn enthusiastic workers into sleepy joes. To influence employees' moods in the right direction, invest in lighting fixtures that provide enough light for general communication as well as tasks. If possible, maximize natural lighting because it keeps people cheerful and removes eye strain, headaches, and irritability. Feel free to use lamps in the office to separate different areas yet provide all of them with good lighting.
Allow easy cable management with furniture
Many offices constantly struggle with cables. Since most of our devices are electronic today, cords run all over the office, posing a threat to the safety as well as aesthetics of the space. When buying furniture, imagine how it can improve your cable management so you can keep cords out of sight. There are also cable organizers and hooks that keep cables against the wall and behind devices, so there will be no trips, ugly bumps in the carpet, and messy wires to look at.
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Create a break area
Every office needs a break area. If you don't have space for a proper break room, it's often sufficient to designate a separate area in the main space where workers can go to relax. You can use reclining furniture and coffee tables near the windows and separate the space from the rest of the room with screens or bookshelves. Even a small change of environment can do wonders for workers when it comes to refueling the brain with new ideas and inspiration. Provide this space with plants, air purifiers, and healthy snacks to create a true wellness vibe.
Set clear boundaries
All employees want at least a touch of privacy, and you can achieve that with tall plants, privacy screens, and shelves. A small thing such as extra personal space can significantly boost motivation, efficiency, and job satisfaction.
Employees are what keep any company afloat, therefore, they deserve a comfortable, safe and practical place to work and create. With the furnishing tips above, they will get even more than they might ask.
Written by Brigitte Evans
