It is important for employers to create a comfortable and welcoming work environment for their employees. It has been found that brighter and warmer workplaces have made employees more determined to have their work done. Most employees are at work for at least 35 hours every week. So it is important that they are happy and content with the area they are assigned to. When employees are unhappy in their jobs, they tend to work less and have less motivation. This lack of motivation and productivity may only waste time and cost their company money.
Ergonomic furniture should be considered to be brought into most offices, in particular ergonomic chairs. If not compulsory, employees should at least be offered the choice of whether they require an ergonomic chair. They provide comfort, support and good structure to the individual whilst being sat at a desk. They have also been proven to increase productivity throughout the day as the employee will be comfortable enough to remain at their desk and not become distracted easily by discomfort. They prevent back, neck and muscle pain which in turn will stop further complications taking place within the employees health. Back complications may lead to employees being off sick which means there is less work being done as well as the company wasting more money.
Desks are very important when it comes to productivity. A large desk is ideal for employees that have a lot of filing and documents to take care of. It gives them the space they need to store their work as well as allowing them to be organised and productive in their tasks. Employers should explore different types of desks like the l shaped standing desk which takes up less space in the room but still relatively spacious. If an employee were left with very little space for anything to be placed, they would be unhappy with their work environment and not as determined to complete assignments or to organise work.
Another area employers should focus on is having up to date furniture in their workplace as well as bright colours and keeping it as clutter free as possible. Nobody wants to work in an old run down office these days when they would be much more content with functioning chairs/tables and appliances. It may also be a thought to have the area painted bright but professional as it has been found that brightly coloured walls can have employees feeling happier in their place of work as they reflect their mood off of the colours surrounding them. This makes sense as if an employee was surrounded by dull, grey dark walls all day every day, they aren’t going to be as happy to be at work.
Lighting in the workplace has also been found to have an impact on employees. In areas where there is natural lighting and greenery outside, people have found it to be more welcoming and a comfortable place of work. Lack of windows, light and fresh air can leave employees feeling tired and drained at work, leaving little work being done for the company. With natural light and fresh air coming in, people are also less likely to report feeling tired, having eye strain or a sore head. This then means less days off sick.
A nice piece of furniture that is a good contributor to productivity level is the use of plants within workplaces, specifically in office environments. With fresh plants around, the quality of the air is improved, reducing risk of headache and stress. People may feel isolated within their office every day, from the rest of the world, but when bright plants are brought in this can help them feel more comfortable and relaxed.
A good-sized staff room with furniture to suit the needs of different employees is a major contributor to productivity levels. This falls under making employees feel comfortable and content in their place of work. Workers are entitled to their breaks and as well as that, they need them to function efficiently. A staff room should have a table and comfortable chairs for staff to unwind for a short while before getting back to their work. When they have this time of comfort and relaxation during their working day, they are able to recharge and get right back into their work as productive as possible.
