Fostering Productivity: A Guide to Modern Office Design

Office design is one of the most important factors when discussing productivity. After all, how your colleagues feel when they are in the office will have a huge impact on the kind of work they do as well as the volume. Essentially if you can make your staff happy in the office then we stand a far greater chance of creating a productive space. So, how can you do this? Well, of course, when it comes to physiological factors like this it can be difficult to find solutions that work for everyone. Though, in recent years, there have been many studies into this field and we are starting to put the pieces of the jigsaw together.

There are a few main factors that affect people’s productivity. While there are many other smaller factors some of the main ones are happiness, comfort and energy. If you can make a space that helps to increase all of these feelings for your colleagues then you will stand a good chance of making a productive office. In this blog, we are going to talk you through a few key changes which you can make in your office to create a productive area. We are going to touch on some quite drastic changes and some other more subtle ones. So, keep reading to find out more!

The role of the office

In recent years, after the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a drastic shift in our working patterns. Many of us now only work from home and the need for a physical office seems to be reducing somewhat. Though, in reality, there is still a need for an office space and a productive one at that. After all, an office brings your company together. It gives it a home and most importantly of all a personality. This means that you can all work toward a shared goal and the family feel of this is extremely helpful. So, how can you make the most of this space?

How to measure productivity

Measuring productivity is a slightly nuanced subject but when you break it down you can measure it in a few key ways. The first is, as we have already mentioned happiness. If your team are happy when they come into the office and find it fulfilling to spend time in then the chances are they will be far more productive. The same goes for energy. You will need your colleagues to feel energised in the office space so they can have the mindset to complete as much work as possible and with the most quality. The final key factor is, of course, comfort. If your staff are uncomfortable then their minds will not be on the task at hand which will drastically reduce their overall productivity.

Wall colour

While this may seem like something that wouldn’t have too much effect on your colleague’s productivity there have been many studies that suggest wall colour has a huge factor. Put it this way, a few feature walls are certainly exciting to look at when you visit a modern building and this same effect could help your staff. Building an office environment that fosters creativity and excitement is vital and with a few bold colours here and there you can certainly achieve this.

Though you will need to get the balance right between exciting and distracting and this is where choosing specific colours is really important. So, in this next section, we are going to list a few stand-out colours that you should consider when designing your office. Keep reading to find out more!

Green

This colour is synonymous with creativity and there have been many studies over the years suggesting that it can help boost people’s productivity. While you may not want to paint the entire office green, we do suggest that you incorporate the colour in a few ways. Perhaps you could paint one wall green or have green graphics somewhere.

Orange

While orange is an undoubtedly energetic colour it is also perfect for helping with productivity. Often, there are times throughout the day when we lose energy somewhat and it can be hard to regain this at times. By having a few bursts of energy in the way or orange features this can help to lift the room a touch.

Blue

Maintaining a calm atmosphere is another important aspect of productivity and there is no question that blue is a calming colour. We would suggest that you opt for a darker blue and have a few features in the building that use this colour. So, what else can help with productivity? Keep reading to find out more.

Desk and chair ergonomics

Maintaining comfort throughout the day is a key element of productivity. Now, while you may find comfort in the design of the building or the amenities on offer you will most likely get most of your comfort levels from your desk and chair arrangement. So, how can you create a desk space that will feel comfortable? In this next section, we will run through a few things for you to think about when organising your colleague’s desk arrangements. Don’t worry though, most of the things in this section will be easy to implement. So, keep reading this section for more information.

The first thing you should do is acquire a comfortable and capable desk chair. More often than not people try to save money on the chairs but this could really come back to bite you. A poorly designed low-budget chair is not only uncomfortable and unproductive but also a touch unsafe. The amount of time we spend sitting down throughout the day means that we put a huge amount of pressure on specific parts of our body so you must have a chair that supports these. You might also want to invest in some adjustable desks so your staff can adjust the levels to suit them best.

Temperature

As we are sure you are aware temperature is vital when it comes to productivity. When it is too hot it can be impossible to concentrate and the same goes for when the temperature is too cold. There are, of course, many ways to fix this but one of the most common is to fit a modern air conditioning unit to your building. After all, these units can often heat a room as well as cool one down. So, whether you have a home office and need a domestic air conditioning installation service or you need one for your company’s office then you should certainly consider the option.

Light

Light is one of the most important factors when it comes to productivity and you should consider a variety of options for making your space lighter. After all, exposure to natural light has been proven in many studies to increase people’s productivity and their stamina for work. You should try to paint most of your walls in a light colour as this will help to make the most of the light which you already have. What’s more, you should try and place the desks close to light sources so every seat has exposure to natural light. Implementing these changes throughout your office will doubtless improve the space.

Amenities

Having the right amenities in your office is all about comfort. As we have already mentioned, comfort is a key factor when it comes to productivity and you should try to achieve this in any way you can. Having a microwave, toaster, fridge and coffee machine will all contribute well to maintaining a comfortable office space environment. So, you should definitely consider investing in items like this if you want to create the most productive space possible for you and your employees.

If you would like any advice about aircon installation then make sure you contact us today. We have plenty of experience in the industry and would love to help you with any questions you might have. What’s more our staff ride themselves on fixing your issues and helping you to come up with a solution. So, we can certainly help you with any of your air conditioning questions.