iThere are a few factors that lead a lack of productivity in the workplace, and one of the leading causes is a work environment that is negative and stifles creativity. So you need to look at creating a workspace that will give your employees a comfortable place where they can be productive and enthusiastic about their work. With that, here are eight tips to make your work environment healthier; both physically and mentally, and also assist you in increasing positivity and productivity.
As a manager, employer or supervisor, the way to increase engagement and productivity within your company depends on how you treat your employees and the work environment you offer them. Here are some of the tips you can implement:
01. Encourage Openness and Creative Thinking
It may sound counter-productive but openness, a space for productive sharing and disagreeing and competition, is great for business and a really good way to bring new ideas to life. Come up with ideas out of your comfort zone and see where the discussion goes on from there. You can also get your team to write related ideas on index cards to encourage lateral thinking. After that take the cards, hand them out, make your group read them out and encourage responses.
02. Go a Bit Green
According to recent studies, the colour green sparks inventiveness. You might not be able to paint the walls, but you could opt for items like backdrop, wall art, and ornaments within a green colour scheme. You also should consider calming shades of green instead of the bright hues – sage and sea-foam green are the best options since they help you relax and spark your creativity.
03. Clean the Office Regularly
Employees end up with occupational allergies due to the work atmosphere (as many as 40% of the American population suffers from allergies, most of which are triggered by dust, pollen and mould). In the workplace, it can be due to chemical reactions to paint or dust in carpets or dirt particles.
Having poor air conditions leads to loss of concentration as well as employee health issues which has a negative impact on productivity. Investing in a reliable air purifier is a small price to pay for the productivity that you would gain as a result of having them in the office. According to ByPurify, the best air purifiers are those with HEPA filters since they capture over 99% of microns and dirt particles in the air.
It’s also great for employee engagement to present a neat, clean office environment. Employing a cleaning service that comes in regularly to vacuum, dust and clean will do wonders for creating a positive work environment.
04. Get Some Plants
Apart from giving a boost to the green colour at the office, plants help in improving air quality, reducing stress and increasing productivity. Buy green and leafy plants and not the prickly ones like cacti. Be careful not to overdo the plants – the office needs to be functional, not a jungle!
05. Cement Your Team’s Connections
To establish a productive working relationship with your team, you need to get to know each other. Look for ways to better communicate and if you have remote employees schedule regular video conferences so that they can all take part in the brainstorming sessions and meetings. At least some of the time you spend with employees should be spent chatting about hobbies, interests, plans and their family to learn more about each other and cement your relationships.
06. Show Appreciation
Employees need recognition and rewards for project milestones. It is a way of keeping the momentum up and their spirits high. Projects tend to be simple at first, but with time, they get difficult. So, set the milestones and reward them for each goal achieved. You should try sending them an email telling them how great they are doing, and acknowledge when they have reached a breakthrough. You will boost their egos and increase their productivity.
07. Make the Workspace Functional
Working closely on projects can create an incredible team dynamic; working within tight confines can be disastrous. Your employees need their space, where they can get easy access to the tools and equipment that they need, and still be able to work with other team members closely. A separate space for meetings and brainstorming often works well.
08. Put in Standing Desks
It is not healthy to sit in one spot the whole day. That is why companies today are choosing to invest in standing desks which allow employees to choose whether to sit or stand as they please, move around and keep their muscles active throughout the day. You can either get a full standing desk or a unit that sits on top of your regular desk.
It is your responsibility to create, develop and nurture the right kind of working environment so that your employees can function positively and productively within the company.
