Workplace design and other ideas for increasing productivity in the office

Workplace efficiency and productivity are vital elements of any work environment. Regardless of whether the workplace is a factory or an office, ensuring that you get the most out of your employees is critical to success. Unfortunately, trends from last year seem to indicate that workplace productivity is decreasing. Although levels of unemployment had seen improvements, it seems as though productivity was stagnating. Everything from workplace design to levels of natural light and a company’s training programme can impact productivity.

Employee stress, poor management, toxic environments and a lack of structure can all negatively impact the workplace. These things take much more time and effort to change. In the worst scenarios, they can require a complete rethink of the entire business. However, some steps can be taken to make small tweaks which will positively impact the staff and the way they operate. From changing the workplace design to investing in the right areas, we’ve given you some guidance.

Intuitive Workplace Design Can Improve Productivity

Workplace design is not always purely aesthetic. In fact, good workplace design can have a significant impact on the productivity of staff, customer relationships and overall business performance. Workplaces are supposed to be productive and, therefore, the workplace design should lend itself well to effective working practices.

The most simple example of this is the design of personal working stations. If an employee’s workstation is chaotic and ill-designed for work, this can damage productivity. These spaces also need to be designed ergonomically to lend themselves to comfortable working conditions.

In terms of the wider office design, there should be a variety of types of spaces to increase productivity. Flexible spaces which can be used for breaks, as well as working, are becoming more popular choices. These provide flexibility and the opportunity for employees who prefer a more relaxed environment to have that available to them.

Ensure The Environment is Geared Towards High Productivity

As well as the design of the working space, it’s important to ensure that the workplace design is a pleasant environment to be in. If an office has less than adequate ventilation, this can be uncomfortable for employees. As well as reducing productivity, this can even cause some health issues.

Similarly, poor lighting can increase eye-strain amongst employees as they work at computers. It’s important to try and get as much natural light into the workplace as possible to improve levels of concentration, happiness and reduce the likelihood of headaches. It’s also important to reduce levels of noise for employees. If there is an active and enthusiastic sales team in the office, they may need to be loud and talkative to get the job done. However, this shouldn’t come at the detriment of other employees. Creating ‘quiet areas’ in the office can ensure that those who need silence have access to it when they need it.

Get Green!

Having plenty of plant life in an office not only looks great but it can also improve workplace efficiency and productivity! Plants are proven to have a calming impact on people. They can make a room more comfortable to be in and positively impact mental health. With that in mind, it’s well-worth ensuring there is plenty of greenery in the office to keep people happy at work.

Invest In The Right Equipment

Having inadequate, inappropriate or obsolete equipment in an office can have a real impact on workplace productivity. If staff are spending hours upon hours trying to connect their old computer to the internet or spend minutes every day waiting for it to get started, this all chips away at productivity.

This is something to listen to staff about. If your employees are complaining that their computers are too slow and it’s stopping them from completing their work, it’s certainly time to take some concrete action. Investing in high-quality equipment which is suitable for the modern needs of a business will be paid back in productivity levels and efficiency. By spending more on equipment, everything else becomes easier.

Encourage Regular Breaks and Ensure There Is a Place To Relax

One of the most well-known ways to increase individual productivity – whether it’s working on an essay for university or filing lengthy financial reports – is to take regular breaks. Many psychologists suggest that people work best when they do so in 25 minute-long spurts. This ensures that the work that is being carried out is done so with maximum efficiency, rather than at a slow pace over a longer period.

With this in mind, as an employer, it’s important to strike a balance between staff getting their work done but also encouraging them to take regular breaks, whether that’s a quick dip outside to get some fresh air or making a round of tea. This can help to instigate better working practices.

Embrace Training Programmes

The efficiency of your business depends immensely on the quality of the staff you have at your disposal. It’s important to remember that not every potential employee has all the knowledge they need immediately. However, if they have the willingness to learn through training, they can become invaluable. Employees who have had their skills invested in are often more loyal, too,

With that in mind, you can improve the productivity of your business by investing in training programmes for your employees. Developing skill and expertise in your staff is only ever going to improve your business.

Know Your Staff’s Strengths and Weaknesses and Delegate Accordingly

As an employer, it’s vital to know and understand the various strengths and weaknesses of all of your employees. Only then can you properly delegate work and promote staff from within. You’ve got to understand which members of the team will be best suited to taking on a client-facing meeting and which may be better-suited to organising all of the admin. Understanding this helps you increase productivity. Instead of delegating work to a member of staff who is not suited to it, you can ensure the right people are doing what they’re best at.

Incentivise Your Staff

Incentivising staff is a great way of increasing performance. By offering prizes, days of annual leave, vouchers for clothes or tech and other incentives for good performance on a monthly or quarterly basis, you can help create healthy competition amongst your workforce. Doing so is one of the best ways to keep people focused on their goals. By setting benchmarks, you can give staff something clear to aim for and a prize waiting for them if they complete their goals. Depending on the size of the business, you may not be able to incentivise lavish weekends away, but something that has value for people always shows that employers are willing to give something back in return for hard work.

Workplace Design and Office Fit Out Services From Precision Facilities Management

Here at Precision Facilities Management, we provide a wide range of services to help our customers. From office cleaning and ground maintenance to workplace design and office fit-outs, we provide a comprehensive service.

Our team of professionals are experts in a wide range of disciplines in our industry. This helps to ensure that we can provide expertise for any type of building or business that needs facilities management. We’re trusted by our clients and have a long track record of providing high-quality solutions and excellent customer service. We’re fully-qualified and work with clients in a range of industries. From defence and logistics to leisure and retail, we have plenty of experience.

If you’ve been looking for workplace design services for your office, look no further than Precision Facilities Management.

To find out more about our services, please feel free to contact us today. You can find us at Parkers Court, 254 Braunstone Ln, Leicester, LE3 3AS. Alternatively, call us on 0116 216 0670 or email us at info@precisionfm.co.uk.