The office environment is changing and employers are demanding more collaboration between associates to keep productivity high. While some employers opt for increased socialization between employees, others have utilized changes in design in order to get their workers out of a productivity slump.
While the office job is typified as an often uninviting space designed for solo work, many businesses are realizing the heightened need for a more welcoming environment. Whether that be through informal dress codes or by creating social spaces within the office setting, creating a flexible environment for the workplace has proven to increase the morale and productivity of employees.
This need is ever-growing as the job market changes. Nearly 35% of working Americans have changed jobs over the course of the last three years. In order to keep employees and promote productivity, adopting a flexible environment is practically mandatory in 2018.
So, what are some ways to create a welcoming office environment?
More and more employers are investing in physical changes to the workplace. This includes the addition of social spaces for employees to chat on their lunch break, but it also can include simple upgrades designed to aid in workplace performance. A regular house will lose nearly 30% of the air that travels through a duct system because of holes, leaks, and poor connections. In an office, this can result in poor air quality and disruptive noises that affect your employees’ performance.
Other office spaces have opted for an open layout to encourage collaboration between individuals. Not only is this a more cost-efficient environment, it’s designed to promote togetherness among the team. However, up to 63% of employees prefer a quieter workspace, claiming that noise pollution can harm creativity. It’s important to communicate with your employees and encourage an open-door policy. One-size-fits-all plans aren’t the case in an office environment.
These simple physical changes are designed to aid both the individual and the team. Through an increased emphasis on collaboration, however, other employers are changing the way their employees work.
You can change up your office space and promote productivity through simple team-building exercises and collaboration. Collaboration breeds innovation, so bringing different minds together is essential to creating an effective, constructive environment.
Encouraging employees from different departments to work together can result in unexpected advantages. Taking advantage of the multiple teams and groups within an office is essential to gaining fresh ideas and forming new relationships. When the working environment is a more welcoming place, employees will look forward to coming to work.
A productive work environment relies on multiple changes across mediums. Changing up the physical space and celebrating collaborative efforts are just some ways an employer can boost productivity within the workplace.
