Making The Office An Enjoyable Place To Be

Given the amount of time we spend in our workplaces, they need to be an enjoyable place to be. The happier and more comfortable staff are, the more productive they will be. Whether you’re setting up for the first time, relocating or just renovating, the following points will help.

Ensure Privacy

Open plan offices offer dozens of benefits. However, your staff aren’t going to feel entirely comfortable if they can’t find a private place to talk. For this reason, not all of your office can be open plan. You need to ensure that there are designated areas that confidential conversations and meetings can be held in. This means meeting rooms without clear or even frosted glass. They should be sealed, so sound doesn’t leak out. Ideally, they should also be set away from the main office area. Your staff will respect you for designating areas for them to have difficult conversations in.

Consider Your Furniture

Office furniture and furnishings often get overlooked in favour of other things. But they are a very important part of an enjoyable environment. Office chairs, for example, should be of a good enough quality to support the posture of your workforce. Installing bespoke office tables will ensure that the larger items suit the space well. If you are not moving offices, and just renovating them, this is a good step to take. New furniture can change the look and feel of an entire room. As for furnishings, invest in foot rests and computer stands and allow staff to use them if the wish.

Designate A Chill-Out Area

We spend much of our lives at work. Some people even spend more time at the office than they do anywhere else, including their homes. So while the office should be a place set up for work, it should also be set up with a place to re-energise. This is why games rooms and relaxation rooms are so great. These rooms should cater to all tastes. Don’t just offer boys toys, like pool tables and Playstations. Cater to your female, elderly and disabled staff equally. A great starting point for a games room is asking the staff what they want. Well-looked after staff won’t abuse their freedom to use the facilities. You might even find productivity increases. You might also want to consider installing a vending machine. Or, if your company can afford it, a free drinks fridge.

Consider Your Location

Your office might be ideal on the inside, but what about the outside and the local area? How do your staff feel about these? Do they feel like they can walk around outside the office safely at night? Is there anywhere nearby that they can get lunch from? Is it along a bus route, to cater to your staff who use public transport. Is there ample parking? If the answer to any of those is no, you need to address these issues head on. If safety is a concern, consider hiring security, plus fitting ample lighting and CCTV. If there is nowhere to get lunch, how about installing a canteen, or arranging a sandwich delivery service? And if travel arrangements are causing problems? Consider arranging a shuttle bus from the local bus or train station, and arrange extra parking spaces nearby.