3 Tweaks to make the office more comfortable
It doesn’t matter how stimulating the role is or how in tune a company is with personal values, that uncomfortable chair or cluttered workspace can be enough to grate against an employee’s morale.
If you’re putting so much effort into creating a great place to work, don’t forget to tune in to smaller changes, even if that means just being more reciprocal to staff suggestions.
While every office is different, and the wants or needs of their employees will be too, here are three things you could consider to get the ball rolling.
- Lighting
Of course the ideal would be to have floor to ceiling windows that allow as much natural light into your office as possible, as this is consistently shown to improve mood and energy levels. But just because your office isn’t bathed in sunlight throughout the day doesn’t mean you have to surrender to the type of fluorescent light that leaves workers feeling tired and irritated.
Different lighting tones affect our moods, with blue tinged bulbs associated with increased alertness and a happy mood, and warmer tones linked with calmness. Experiment with lighting in one or two rooms to see what reception they get and consider making a more permanent change.
- Seating
Office chairs can drain your employees’ energy and enthusiasm is they’re uncomfortable or those sitting in them have little option to move around. Invite feedback around office furniture to see what suggestions people have for making their own work day more comfortable.
This might mean switching a chair for a balance ball, looking at adjustable docking stations which allow employees to stand up for a bit, or providing comfy chairs if a member of staff could use a break from their desk and would like to work in a different environment.
- Wires
Some people thrive in a chaotic environment. For others, clutter is detrimental to their output. Give people the option by making sure all wires are neatly clipped away rather than left in a tangled mess on their desks or underneath – waiting to ensnare a wandering foot.
Also make sure they’ve got room to manoeuvre, so if an employee needs to rearrange their computer they can do without accidentally disconnecting the power.