While you may want your business to be a place where people enjoy working, as an employer, you’ve also got to be concerned with the bottom line. If people aren’t working productively, they’re not being effective at their jobs and contributing to the ultimate success of your company. However, productivity and blandness are absolutely not mutually exclusive. In fact, a sterile work environment may actually be detrimental to the productivity of your employees. So to help make your workspace more conducive to productive work hours, here are three ways you can update the decor of your office to boost productivity.
Give Yourself Options
What makes one person feel productive and inspired may not be what works for their peers. Knowing this, Dr. Ron Friedman shares with Justin Gmoser of BusinessInsider.com that having physical options of where to work within the office space can make each person work much more productively. These options could include traditional and secluded desk spaces, large open rooms with comfortable, casual seating for group discussion and collaboration, and an area that allows workers to ponder by themselves and reflect on their projects. By giving options for areas to spend your work time, you allow your brain the freedom to work as creatively and productively as possible.
Bring the Outdoors Indoors
Staring at white walls and boring office furniture all day without seeing the natural world can make being productive very difficult. For this reason, Diana Mackie, a contributor to the Huffington Post, suggests bringing in plants and other forms of greenery to bring a calming atmosphere into your workspace that will contribute to feelings of productivity. Some of the best plants to have in an office space if you’re looking to increase the productivity you’re experiencing are aloe, spider plants, rubber trees and jade plants.
A Space to Relax
Although it may seem counterintuitive, having a space where you can relax from the daily grind can actually make you a lot more productive during your workday. By creating a room or open area where employees can rest their minds for a while, you’re helping them to refocus their intentions as well as come back to their work refreshed and ready to take on their next challenge. Stefan of HomeEdit.com recommends fitting the space with cozy chairs and either soft or natural lighting to make the decor of the room as relaxing as possible. You could also include a small water feature to further evoke an atmosphere of calm and relaxation so your employees can come back to their desks that much more ready to work.
With just a few simple updates and changes, you can take your workspace from a productivity killer to a place where professional dreams come true. Use the tips mentioned above to help you get there.