How to improve employee productivity through office décor

By Matt Gregory

If you’re an employer, you have a duty to provide your employees with a comfortable place to work in which they can flourish and reach their full potential. There is a lot that goes into being able to do this, with the office environment playing a bigger role than you might think.

With the argument over whether working from home or working in an office is the way forward post-pandemic, it’s more important than ever that you ensure your team has all the tools it needs to succeed in the office, especially if they have been working from home and aren’t used to being back in a communal space just yet.

To help you improve your employee’s productivity using office décor, we’ve put together our top tips that you can implement. Doing so should yield positive work output results, especially if your office was drab and dreary beforehand.

Use colors to your advantage

The first and potentially most noticeable change you can make to your office space is to use color to your advantage. There have been multiple studies carried out that look at how color affects mood, and all of them show that there is a direct link. Natural-toned colors have been shown to boost focus and efficiency. This means shades of blue and green are ideal if increasing productivity is your aim.

On the other hand, if you need to get those creative juices flowing, opt for yellow. The only color you should steer clear of is white. This is because white is seen as cold and sterile. Whilst it’s okay in a clinical setting, it’s one of the worst options for offices, and yet it’s one of the most common. If you really want to inspire your staff, ditch the white in favor of something a bit more vibrant.

Invest in high quality furniture

Do you find that your employees fidget in their seats, stretch their legs frequently, or have sick days due to things like a bad back? If so, you could be responsible for this loss of output and decline in productivity due to a lack of proper office furniture. The importance of ergonomic chairs and desks cannot be overstated. As an employer you have an obligation to ensure your staff are comfortable and healthy whilst at work, and furniture is a big part of this.

Chairs that offer no back support and desks that are too high/low breed bad posture, and this leads to a wide scope of mobility issues. If your staff are thinking about how uncomfortable they are, they won’t be working, and they can’t work at all if they have to skip days due to ill health. Make sure you invest in proper furniture to keep well being and morale at a high.

Focus on lighting

The final tip we have that can improve your employee’s productivity through office décor is to remember the importance of lighting. We’ve all experienced sitting in a dark office with nothing but fluorescent lights overhead, and because of this, we all know how draining and uninspiring they can be.

Make sure you try and position employees close to windows so that they feel the benefits of natural light and all the associated benefits it brings.

Summary

Combine the above tips with a positive work environment that is free of negativity and micromanagement, and offer up a pleasant break-out area where members of your team can go to relax, and you should see an increase in moral and productivity in no time. Happy staff are loyal staff, so if you want your business to thrive, make sure your employees are, too.

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Matt Gregory is an experienced and varied writer with a keen interest in sharing knowledge and information on a range of topics. He has a background in digital marketing and research spanning over 10 years.

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