Design Tips To Improve Productivity in Your Office Building

When considering how to improve efficiency in your office, your first instinct may be to look at the workflow process or how individual employees work within their departments. But the office building’s very design can play a role in your staff’s efficiency and effectiveness. Consider some of the tried and tested design tips to improve productivity in your office buildingto promote a better work environment for all employees.

Lighting

Whether you are dealing with natural light streaming through windows or artificial light, you must have the appropriate light design in your office. Natural lighting promotes increased energy levels and improves mood due to the vitamin D in sun rays. If natural lighting is not possible, consider switching to LED light bulbs. They offer brighter light than other bulbs, and their smooth and even light avoids giving employees headaches.

Control the Amount of Light

Sometimes, depending on the sun’s position in relation to your windows, there can be too much light coming into your office. The extreme sunlight can often be distracting and have the opposite effect by making workers less productive. You can incorporate some metal fabrics in your design to block out some light in these cases.

Color

Color plays a subtle yet effective role in employees’ productivity, for better or for worse. Look at the walls and decorations you currently have and ask yourself if they are doing anything for your workers. Different colors cause different reactions in people, and a few choice examples include:

White Paint

White walls give a sense of order and cleanliness to an office but can inhibit a creative environment due to their uninspiring color.

Black

If walls are primarily black, it gives off an oppressive, authoritative feeling, making employees feel trapped, threatened, and anxious.

Green

Green is naturally associated with nature and is a very calming color. It is comforting to employees and fosters a creative working environment.

Yellow

As a color that humans link with happiness, yellow also has a calming effect in the same way that green does. Though, depending on the hue, it may be distracting rather than comforting.

Plants

Incorporating foliage into your office space not only promotes a more productive environment but also naturally cleans the air, reduces noise levels, and reduces stress. While there are some high-maintenance plants, there are numerous other plants that can easily thrive in office spaces. Plants also offer a visually interesting environment that can further promote creative thought and collaboration.

Know What Employees Want

Before making any sweeping changes to your office, take a survey of what your workers think is missing from the office. Let them voice their own opinions on how their office should be because employees will feel more motivated to work when they have a say in their work life.