Most people are not aware of this but there is a very strong workplace crisis going on in most offices from around the world. Due to the tough economic environment, stress is higher than it ever was in the past. For instance, 20% of UK adults suffer from depression or anxiety. Similar or worse situations appear in many other countries.
We do not have job security. This automatically forces us to perform, bringing in extra pressure that is not actually necessary. Office managers tend to want the most from their employees since there is usually no scarcity of them being available. If one does not deliver, he can be fired a new one can be found. However, this is definitely not the way to run a business.
Different things can be done in order to reduce the stress levels that your employees face on a day-to-day basis. The example set forth by Google with their incredible offices is already well known. Many managers will say that it is not possible to invest so much money in working space. That is true in many situations but it does not mean that small office interior design changes cannot be made.
We will now talk a little about the effect of stress on productivity so that you can understand exactly why this is a huge problem. Then, we will offer some pretty simple tips that you can use in order to change the design of your office and increase the productivity of the people working there.
Being Chained To The Office
When stress is high, you end up feeling chained to your office. You feel pressure when you want to go to work. This is not at all healthy since a long period of going through such feelings will automatically cause you to underperform. You will do all that you can in order to over-perform but the sheer stress that you feel will make you feel very bad. You will do a horrible job without realizing it.
It was proven that when there is too much stress, people do not really want to work anymore. When people do not want to work anymore, they end up feeling like in a prison whenever they end up inside an office. Believe it or not, you can end up seeing the walls as a trap and your office as a jail cell.
Prison Interior Design Basics
Since we mentioned jail cells, there is one interesting thing that should be said about prisons. The modern facilities are actually designed in a way that will have devastating effects on wellbeing and mental health. This keeps the prisoners in check. They are demoralized and interior designers are actually brought in so that they can tell managers about what can be done to keep the prisoners docile.
We are thus faced with prison cells that are built in a specific way. Natural lighting is eliminated as much as possible and even light bulbs are not as strong as they would normally be in normal living conditions.
Stepping Out Of The Prison Design
It is such a surprise to see that there are only some organizations out there that make the necessary changes so that the exact opposite of what was mentioned with the prison design happens in an office environment. Small changes can so easily showcase that people are valued and that wellbeing is taken into account. You need to take your employees out of the jail cell and put them into a free environment that promotes healthy working decisions.
What Can You Do? Office Interior Design Tips To Help You Improve Productivity
Sorry for taking so long until we reached the part that you actually came here for. I do believe that it is really important to understand why we need to make a change in the first place. In this particular scenario, you most likely did not know that the regular offices that seem great at first glance can actually turn into prison cells. The internet is filled with home design tips and not much is said about commercial design.
The best thing that you can do, especially if you are on a tighter budget, is to consider the following modifications:
1. Don’t Paint It Black! Use Proper Colors!
The Rolling Stones had a huge hit with the song Paint It Black. That song talked about depressing stuff and that is what is usually associated with the color Black. Did you ever wonder why almost all interior designers recommend specific colors based on the room that is renovated? This happens because color is a key element when referring to room atmosphere.
Studies showed that color will influence the way we feel. By simply making office changes while thinking about the atmosphere that you want to create, you can accomplish a lot. In many situations all that is necessary is a paint job. In many cases there is not even a need for a complete repainting to be done.
Try to pick a suitable, relaxing color scheme. Add appropriate artwork to your walls and use different colorful elements in order to brighten up the office accessories that are often used. You can even add some plants and/or greenery to your office as this will always have a positive effect. Just make sure that the color choices made match.
2. Do You Have A Rocking Chair In Your Office?
There is a pretty good possibility that you do not and truth be told, it is not a necessity. However, it may actually improve the mood and make your employees feel a little better about coming to work every day when they have some fun on this piece of furniture.
One thing that many do not understand is that furniture has a huge effect on the productivity of an office. When there is too much furniture and there are various items that are not needed, you have to eliminate some. It is always recommended that you buy new furniture to naturally create more open space but we do understand that this is tough to do when you do not have enough money available.
When money is a problem, try to re-arrange room layout. Reshuffle furniture and create various zones or corners that your staff can use in order to retreat to, talk or have an impromptu meeting.
Since we are talking about furniture and spacing, it is a very good idea to incorporate an area that is especially created in order to let staff members relax. While you will not be able to add too much in the actual office, by creating an area somewhere, the employer will be able to go there when he does not feel great. Recharging batteries is thus easier.
3. Lighting Always Counts!
One of the biggest problems with conventional office environments is the improper use of lighting fixtures. In any office setting, light stands out as being crucial. Improper lighting will lead to eyestrain and headaches. There are even other problems that can appear.
Never believe that it is better to just make sure that lights are as bright as possible. If you use strip lighting that is simply too strong, you make a decision that is worse than a lack of proper lighting. The best thing that you can do is focus on natural lighting. If that is not possible, try to make the lights chosen as natural as possible. Also, in areas where an employee may need more light, try to dot task everything.
4. Where Is Your Latest Company Award Placed?
There is a huge chance that it is somewhere in the manager of an office. This is a bad idea. A proper office interior design should be branded and should showcase that the employees work for a company that prides itself with the work that they do.
Contrary to popular belief, corporate branding needs to also be used internally. Your interior design scheme has to reinforce identity. This is quite easy to be done without having to spend too much money. Wall logo displays are popular. Also, you can utilize elements, shapes, structures, colors or themes that come from your branding campaign.
5. Where Do You Store Your Files?
Interior office design elements that are changed in an office need to focus on storage in so many situations. This is something that is particularly true in the event that we refer to the small offices. There is sometimes a necessity to implement storage features but this does not mean that you need to take up a large part of your office with that. Never buy grey, industrial cabinets. Try to focus on those funky and stylish shelves that you saw in the department store. Storing elements should not be seen just as useful business elements. They also need to look great based on the overall design of the office. Make them suitable based on the facts that were mentioned above.
6. Personalizing An Office
This is a lot more important than many tend to believe. Many of the workers will spend a lot of hours at the office. It is important to incorporate a suitable design that will reflect employee personality and individuality. The best part of this is that you do not have to spend a dime in many cases. You just need to allow the staff to bring in some personal items. If you have some money and you want to redesign the office, you can even involve your staff in the process. They can choose the colors of the mugs, the walls and help you choose different things that will, in turn, increase productivity.
