So your staff have been flopping around on the couch with their laptops for months with shirt and tie on the top half and tracksuit pants on the bottom, and now they are called back to the office, sporting a designer mask of course, but are they happy to be back?

Your staff is one of your business’ biggest assets and the interior of your workspace can directly impact their mood and productivity. An unhappy employee can cost your business money, and research has shown that unhappy employees take substantially more sick days, are more likely to come in late and tend to complain about their job to anyone who will listen – your clients and customers included.

Functionality is important when designing a work environment. It needs to be practical and meet the needs of those who will utilize the space.

Is your business interior working for you?

Here are some things to consider:

1. Are you maximizing the natural light in your office?

   Natural light is an essential part of designing a workspace and it is important to make sure it is available to every employee. That is not just my opinion: a survey by an HR advisory firm published in the Harvard Business Review shows access to natural light is the number one attribute workers want in their office environment. There are many benefits of natural light and research shows that people who are exposed to natural light during the day are more productive, healthier, exercise more and sleep better at night. You may need to re-think the locations of desks and grouped workstations to make better use of natural light within the space. Try to consider the best light throughout the day and how morning and afternoon light can be maximized.

2. Good ventilation

   To protect your staff against illnesses as well as control the temperature of the work environment it is best to have a well-ventilated workspace, with natural ventilation, air-conditioning, fans or a combination of these to move air around the room and prevent it from feeling stuffy or stale.

3. Long lasting quality finishes

   This is a must, especially to boost employee productivity and job satisfaction. Most employees sit for long periods of time at their desks and in front of their computers and they often experience some form of back, neck or shoulder pain which results from poorly designed furniture.
   

4. Comfortable and ergonomically designed furniture

   This is a must, especially to boost employee productivity and job satisfaction. Most employees sit for long periods of time at their desks and in front of their computers and they often experience some form of back, neck or shoulder pain which results from poorly designed furniture.

5. Good lighting

   Proper lighting within a work environment is important to reduce eye strain. Not only does good lighting help employees to function more productively throughout the day but it also reduces headaches and fatigue. You also need to consider where your natural light is coming from to avoid glare, especially onto a computer screen.

6. Corporate identity carried through to the interior space

   An exciting brand-focused interior design will reflect that you are proud of your business and this will translate to your staff and clients. Colours can affect the mood of your work environment and increase productivity and workplace well-being, so it is important to consider your colour scheme when designing your workspace. Make it exciting and appealing to your employees.

References

• gensler.com