Your office is your home away from home or just your home if you have a big job on, so you’ll be spending a good portion of your day there and wouldn’t it be nice if your office actually helped promote a better working environment rather than hindered it? Sure, it would, you’re probably thinking but I don’t have thousands to spend on a luxury office, but you don’t need to.
Many big businesses have amazing offices that go far beyond what the average business today can offer. But you don’t need all those fancy extra-additions to create a great working environment, you just think you do.
Sure, having the budget of Google or Apple would help, but you don’t need to spend a lot of money to improve your office, in fact, you might not to spend any money at all. Because not every way you can improve your office can be done with material goods. So, let’s take a look at ten great ways you can create a better working environment in your office, shall we?
Make Your Office Cosy
All to often is the plain minimalist office showcased and I always wonder why, an office should be comfortable of course that doesn’t mean it should be full of pictures of cushions but there’s got to be some leeway. Simply adding a few nice extra additions like fresh fruit at breaks or some artwork on the walls can make your office feel more comfortable and that will go a long way towards promoting a better working environment.
Get Your Hiring Right
This is important for all businesses but particularly smaller ones because you’ll be dealing with fewer people, so you need to make sure everyone is happy. This isn’t always easy in fact it rarely ever is but that’s why you should take your time, and this doesn’t end once you’ve made the hire either. You need to make sure they adjust to their working environment and feel comfortable.
Talk Regularly With Your Employees
Whether you run the whole business or just a small part of it it’s important that you aren’t disconnected from your team. Everyone as a different style of leadership and that’s fine but if you want a healthy work environment you should at least be recognisable to your employees, so get your face out there and talk to them every so often.
Natural Lighting Works Wonders
No one wants to work in a dank, dark office, do they? Natural light has been scientifically proven to help improve people’s mood, energy, and productivity so it will be beneficial to any office. Now, of course, this might not always be possible but if you have to use more artificial light then do it, it might not be as beneficial, but it will certainly help.
Keep It Clean
A tidy office is a better office? OK, that might not be the best mantra but it’s true all the same if you want a productive and happy office then it needs to be kept clean and tidy. Sure, it may get messy on occasion, but you’ll need to do your best to manage the mess. So, make sure there are plenty of bins and air fresheners on hand as the last thing you want is having to call in a local pest control company.
Plants Are Powerful
Plants have a lot of beneficial properties and just like natural light they have been proven to work wonders in offices. They also help keep the air clean and can make people feel calmer and happier, they are certainly going to be beneficial in a busy office and can even help add a splash of colour to the place. The only thing you need to be mindful of is if any employees you have suffer from allergies.
Breaks Are Essential
The working lunch as unfortunately become common for many people, some people even enjoy it but whether people have their lunch at their desk or not you should make sure your employees take regular breaks throughout the day.
Any office should have a break or staff room, so people can spend some time away from their computer screens. This will help them stretch their legs and reduce neck and back strain but will also help break up the day and give their eyes a rest as well.
So, make sure everyone is scheduled for breaks throughout the day you can either give everyone a fixed time or be a little more flexible about it, the important thing is people do have time to take their breaks.
Praise Your Staff
If your team is doing really well or even if everything is just running smoothly make sure your team knows you’re happy with their performance. All too often office managers will fall into the trap of not bothering to praise their staff and just assuming they know they’re doing a good job.
But praise will certainly help promote a better office working environment so don’t be afraid to give some out. You could do this in person, send a quick email or make it a part of staff meetings there is no right or wrong way it really all depends on the situation.
Keep A Balanced Temperature
This could be really easy or really hard depending on your location, climate and the time of year! But keeping a balanced and cool temperature will really help promote a happier more productive office and make sure you have some heaters and fans ready for those really cold and really hot days.
Don’t Be Afraid To Remove Toxic Workers
This one is without a doubt the most difficult but it’s essential if you want a happy and productive office that you are confident enough to manage difficult situations and employees. I think every office manager will be faced with a difficult employee at some point in their career and it’s important that you act confidentially.
Toxic workers can come in all kinds, some people might not even realise they are upsetting other people, office gossip does have a nasty side to it after all. And dealing with a toxic worker or situation doesn’t always mean you need to fire somebody it’s often more complicated than that.
But you can’t let problems with employees carry on you need to know how to deal with them and act fast and while it’s a worst-case scenario you do need to be prepared to fire people. Ensuring a happy team is the best way to guarantee a happy office after all.
