Most workers spend eight hours a day, five days a week in their workplace not including overtime. Because of that amount of time, poor design can really affect employees’ physical and mental well-being. However, a well-designed workplace can foster productivity and inspiration in workers. Here are ways for you to make sure your workplace is a good fit for your employees:
Give Control
When employees are given control over their situation, they are likely to be more productive. A way that you can provide this control in workplace design, is through providing multiple workspace options. You can provide closed, open, social, and isolated areas of work. This way employees can choose which workspace works best for them and will feel more comfortable in their work.
If you are thinking of making changes to the workspace, ask your employees for their opinion. Being part of the conversation will make employees feel like they have some control over their workspace.
Give Freedom
Now that your employees have the space that best suits them, give them the opportunity to make it their own. This will make employees feel like they belong at work, and they’ll take more responsibility for their space. You can encourage employees to decorate their desks without judgement. Also allow them to use their space how they want. If certain employees work better when collaborating in-person, then allow them to have the space they need to do that. It’s important that you don’t make your employees feel judged for their workplace preferences. They need to feel free to do what works for them for this to be effective.
Give Stimulation
A plain, pristine workplace might seem like a good idea at first. After time, it can become detrimental to creativity and productivity. Try to design your office with plenty of textures, colors, and daylight. This will help your workplace to be more stimulating for your employees.
Apply these ideas to the design of your workplace to provide a better working environment for you and your employees.