The environment that a person works in for eight to ten hours a day has a large impact on how they will perform. It is amazing the difference in the quality of work you get from an employee who feels valued and appreciated. There are many things you can do as a manager and owner that can bring out the best in your employees.
Your Office Speaks Volumes about What Type of Company you are
When a customer walks in the door of your office, they get an immediate impression of what type of company you are. If the furniture and walls are bright and cheery, clients may feel the company is friendly and easy to work with. If clients see workers sitting behind desks with their heads down versus collaborating at workstations, they may get the impression that ideas aren’t shared and there isn’t much creativity brewing. Even the doors can make a difference in what a client thinks. It’s better to have glass doors that leave them thinking the business is open and caring, instead of big, dark doors that may make someone wonder what is going on behind them or what secrets he or she may be hiding.
Workspace is Extremely Important
The way your office is organised can make the difference between a successful company and a mediocre one. Employees need to know they have personal space where they can go and focus on what needs to get done, but they also have to be accessible to others within their team so they can communicate effectively when it is appropriate. Large meeting rooms with adequate technology like whiteboards and large monitors hung on the walls for all to work collectively will allow teams to be much more efficient. Office space needs organisation in such a way to help the company meet their goals. Oktra can meet with you and discuss your goals and needs, thus helping you to create a work environment that will provide the best opportunity for great productivity from your employees. All of this while staying within your budget.
Natural Lighting is Extremely Important to Productivity
You want to see a smile on your employees’ faces when they walk into work in the morning. Your office should be warm and inviting. There should be large amounts of natural lighting available to each employee. Natural lighting is extremely important in the emotional well-being of everyone, from janitors up to the CEO of the company. It is extremely important for people to be exposed to adequate amounts of natural light during the day so that their circadian rhythm works effectively. Vitamin D is synthesised in the skin upon exposure to natural lighting and is instrumental in keeping your sleep cycle operating properly. The lighting from interior lights doesn’t provide the same effects as you can achieve from sunlight. It is proven that people who receive a sufficient amount of natural light during the day sleep much better at night. Well rested employees are much more productive.
Have a Location for Employees to Unwind
It is important for employees to feel appreciated. One way to do that is to make them aware that you understand that they need to blow off some steam during the workday to be more productive. Having a lounge area that provides a refrigerator, table, microwave and television with a few comfortable chairs is important. Some corporations will have a recreation room with pool tables, foosball tables, and a few video games. Management that understands the importance of taking a break from the high pressures of work will ultimately make their employees happier and more productive. This approach fosters teamwork and camaraderie that is invaluable as cooperation and working together is paramount to the success of a company. Some corporations have picnic tables and benches outside to encourage their employees to take a break and get out into the sunshine to enjoy a little escape from the pressures of work. Many large offices have workout rooms in their offices because they understand that exercise during the day keeps people energised. Any of these options let the employees know that management thinks about their staff and makes them feel appreciated, which in turn will make them want to work harder.
Employees Need to Feel their Opinion Matters
Employees know more than anyone about what would make them more productive. The management sitting up in their offices on the second floor don’t really understand what is going on during everyday business. Workers know if they need a bigger workspace to accomplish different projects or if there is a need for other equipment to do a better job or to get it done more efficiently. It is important for management and employees to meet regularly so that employees can feel like their concerns are heard. This is great for morale and for the success of the company.
First impressions are very important when you meet a person for the first time as well as when you walk into a business for the first time. What your client sees when he walks in the door is going to stay with them. The way your office is laid out and how it is designed will tell them who you are and how you treat people. Clients get a good idea of what type of company you are by how your employees are treated. They are forming their first impressions of your company by watching how happy and energetic your employees are. Many upper management staff and owners of businesses don’t understand how important it is to have happy and healthy employees working for them. When it is imperative that employees work as a team, the right dynamics between members are essential, and managers are responsible for making sure the group dynamics are the best they can be. If you create a work environment that allows the employee to be as productive as they can be, as well as making them feel like a valued part of the organisation, you will get the most out of them and your company will have the greatest chance to succeed. If your potential client sees happy and engaged employees as well as an office that is inviting and comfortable, you have won half the battle in gaining them as a client.