The workplace has a significant impact on employee productivity. It affects how well they can focus (and stay focused) as well as their ability to perform their tasks optimally.
As such, you need to factor in the layout and available space when looking at offices for sale in Tecom and other business centres in Dubai. Aside from determining whether they can accommodate all the necessary equipment for your business operations, this will also help you pick an office interior design.
Why is interior design important, you ask? Based on studies, the physical environment has the most significant effect on an employee’s focus. Well-designed offices are also deemed essential in increasing productivity by around 20 percent. The thing is, despite these numbers, almost 50 percent of employers don’t believe that this is the case. This might be the reason why many companies fail to optimise their work area for productivity.
If you don’t want to make the same mistake, consider these seven design tips that can ensure that your office fit-out boosts productivity:
1. Let there be (enough) light.
Lighting is an essential element of the workspace. Besides allowing your people to get a clear view of what they’re doing, working under enough light also helps them stay focused on the task at hand and fosters inspiration. In contrast, low office lighting can lead to irritability, fatigue, headaches, and eye strain. On top of that, experts revealed that dark spaces could trigger depression. If you have little to no control over the available lighting in your company office, it’s best to bring in supplementary lighting, like desk lamps. For companies that are still in the selection phase of commercial space procurement, you can also take this into account when making decisions. Consider taking a cue from offices with floor-to-ceiling windows that allow natural light in, or adding overhead task lighting in the areas that need it. Of course, natural lighting is still the best as it ensures your staff members’ physical and mental health. Natural lighting also stimulates positive attitudes and keeps people alert and awake.
2. Pick colours that promote productivity.
When having your office painted, you must also carefully choose the colours used to ensure productivity. According to the psychology of colour, certain hues affect people’s emotions and state of mind. Take advantage of this when designing your office by picking out the right colour palette to achieve specific goals. For instance, if you’re looking to create a cheery workspace filled with positivity, you can go with yellow paint on your walls. This helps create a joyful ambience and naturally brightens up the room (both literally and figuratively). Cool shades of green and blue help create a productive and comfortable office environment. These hues are known to provide much-needed rest for strained eyes and emit a relaxing vibe, making them the perfect options for break rooms. On the other hand, vibrant orange and red incite urgency, alertness, and attention to detail. This makes them the best choice for conference rooms and other areas used for brainstorming. Of course, you’ll have to consider your company’s branding when deciding. Choose those that reflect your brand identity while incorporating the psychology of colour to different areas.
3. Bring nature in.
The addition of indoor plants and evergreens in the office is a leading trend that is expected to become more popular beyond 2020. This is because greeneries in workspaces do more than just make the place look lovely – they also boost the overall well-being of your employees while improving efficiency and productivity at work. Indoor plants help clean the air even inside air-conditioned spaces. They also reduce noise to enhance employee focus and lift people’s moods to ensure positivity within the workspace.
4. Only use ergonomic furniture.
Like lighting, many companies fail to realise the importance of ergonomics in employee productivity. Even so, this doesn’t change the fact that staff members without back pain can work comfortably and perform better in different office setups. Considering that most workers spend 65 percent of their time in the office sitting down, you must get high-quality and ergonomic desks and chairs. With these, you can help prevent posture issues, reduce strain on the shoulders and back, and lessen or prevent signs of overwork syndrome.
5. Designate areas for specific purposes.
An office layout becomes more efficient when it is organised. To achieve this, you’ll have to designate different spaces for specific purposes. Set aside an employee lounge where they can relax, separate from a conference room for brainstorming. This will also allow you to change up the interior’s colour palette according to the psychology of colour (see tip no. 2). According to Google’s John Ferrigan, this layered approach in designing your company’s workspace allows you to make everyone feel comfortable working within the organisation. This is the best way to ensure that they perform their tasks to the best of their abilities. Keep your company’s goals in mind, particularly what you want to achieve with the office layout. Once you figure this out, you can already determine the elements of the office fit-out that you need. And remember, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to this task.
6. Support collaboration with an open office layout.
The success of a company lies in how well your team can work together. This means you’ll have to give them as much support in any way you can, including opening up your office layout. With the times changing, many modern businesses benefit more from open floor plans than the traditional layout, with each employee getting their own individual desks. Of course, you can still set aside an area for solo work. This will all depend on your work style and branding. Keep in mind that there is no universal formula for choosing an office layout as different organisations have varying goals, values, and elements to consider. To ensure that your staff feel comfortable with the setup, hear out their opinions and consider those when deciding.
7. Reduce noise levels in any way you can.
Noise is one of the biggest productivity killers you should be aware of in an office setup. Not only does it make collaboration difficult, but it also distracts people from what they’re doing. That said, try to look for solutions and customisations that could help reduce noise levels around the workspace. Besides placing plants in strategic locations, you can also have soundproofing installations and partitions between individual workspaces. If you’re working in an open layout, you can let your employees use noise-cancelling headphones. This will allow them to focus on their work or have uninterrupted conversations with clients and partners without leaving the room.
Design Your Office for Productivity
Whether you own a long-running business or are just starting out, designing your office for productivity can do wonders for your business. Consider the fit-out tips listed in this article, and see which one works best for your company.
Share This Post
