Your business premises are a symbol of everything that you’ve built, and they can have a direct impact on the way that you are perceived by your customers and clients. Surveys have also revealed that 94% of employees feel that their working environment reflects how highly they are valued by the company, which can have a significant impact on motivation and productivity.

The wrong office design can contribute towards a lack of company loyalty and an increase in staff turnover, and yet many businesses still continue to underestimate the importance of this area of their business plan. Here are a few basic considerations that can help to transform your office space, increase productivity and improve your staff retention all at once.

Working patterns

There is no one-size-fits-all solution to the best office design, so it’s well worth taking the time to consider the way that your company conducts its business before you begin making any grand plans. Do your staff work largely independently of each other, of do they rely on working groups and cross-department communication? It is important to take working relationships into account in order to achieve the right balance between the need for working privacy and the potential benefits of open dialogues. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that your office layout has to be entirely open or closed, because it’s perfectly possible to incorporate elements of both to meet the different needs of your organisation.

Light

Nothing dampens the spirits quite like a lack of natural sunlight, especially during the winter months when the majority of employees will arrive and leave in the dark. Providing staff with light and a view can boost morale and go a long way towards increasing productivity.

Colour

Traditionally, offices have been decorated in neutral shades of cream or beige as a low cost, low maintenance solution to keeping things neat and tidy. But it should come as no surprise that bland surroundings are not particularly effective at inspiring creativity, and studies have shown that the inclusion of bright colours can help to contribute to a sense of brand identity as well as stimulating the mind.

Comfort

Comfort is crucial not only to motivation but also to the on-going health and welfare of your staff. As an employer you are legally obliged to provide workstation assessments and adequate equipment and office furniture to ensure that your employees do not suffer unduly from the strains of working at a computer for long periods.

Control

Another way to ensure the comfort of your staff is to grant them a certain amount of control over their surroundings. Ensure that windows can be opened and temperature can be controlled locally so that staff in different areas of the building can regulate their environment independently of any centralised system. Where appropriate, simple choices such as where to sit or what music to listen to can help to make your employees feel trusted, valued and focused on the task at hand.

Downtime

Frequent breaks allow people to move around, rehydrate and take a step back from their current task, which can all contribute towards higher quality work. Providing good quality break room facilities will also ensure that your workforce feels highly valued, which improves company loyalty and the desire to help your business to succeed.

This post was written by Nicky Hand, who has worked in offices for many years and has seen the difference that the right design can make. If you’re looking for a range of office furniture to help conduct your transformation, take a look at Furniture Bay.