How Office Design Affects Productivity
Did you know that your office design is likely affecting your employees’ productivity? Office design should create an environment that supports employees’ performance and collaboration through the arrangement and organization of workstation office furniture.
It also takes into consideration industry trends, employee wellbeing and employee health and safety.
Open floor plans have become increasingly popular over the last few decades because they are cost efficient, but too much open space can distract employees and negatively impact their performance and engagement.
Open floor plans can foster collaboration, but a study published by the Harvard Business Review reveals that, instead of fostering collaboration, too much teamwork can cause employees to become disengaged. Another study, published by Quartz, shows that people are actually unable to multitask and that it takes an average of 23 minutes to fully reengage with a task after an interruption.
The noisy environment of an open office space and the constant interruptions can have a negative impact on productivity. The work environment overwhelms the brain and causes stress and fatigue.
What can you do to reconfigure your workplace for engagement and productivity? Keep reading for three tips to rethink your workspace design.
Provide Guidelines for Specific Areas
While collaboration and teamwork play an important role in an office environment, every office should provide a place for employees to work uninterrupted as well. Set guidelines for specific areas of the office to alert employees that when someone is working in that area, they are not to be interrupted.
Types of Working Spaces
Group work is important, but employees also need time to retreat into spaces where they can be alone to focus. A well-planned workspace design will offer a variety of spaces for employees to work. From open floor plans that encourage collaboration to private offices that allow for concentrated work to dividers between desks to discourage conversation, a flexible office design will bring out the best in your employees. A workstation furniture supplier like Office Gallery can give you ideas for the best furniture to put in each of these spaces.
Implement Sharing Policies
If your budget doesn’t allow for private offices for each employee, then consider several private spaces that employees can share. Employees can sign up for their turn in the private work area when they need to concentrate on a project or just get away from the crowd.
Let our knowledgeable staff at Office Gallery help you with your office space planning and redesigning. We can help you create an office space that will appeal to all employees and increase productivity.
Contact us today for a consultation.
