Productivity is the heart and soul of a functioning workspace. If employees are to be productive at work, it could come down to the structure and setting of the office. Not just the location, but the layout of office furniture and equipment, the flow between employee space, and the overall feeling of the office.
Fortunately, there are resources out there to help boost a business’s productivity and make an office a place where employees want to get their work done. Keep reading for four tips and some advice on how to accomplish a more productive workspace.
1. Create Opportunities for Movement
The best way to stay focused during a long day of work is to acknowledge when you’ve hit a productivity wall and to take short, quick breaks to gain a new perspective on what you’re working on. Ergonomic furniture such as stand-to-sit desks encourages changing positions and moving throughout the workday. Standing desks can improve overall mood and vigor in not only the workplace but has been shown to carry through to out of work environments. You can build other opportunities for movement into your workspace, such as putting the copy machine on the opposite end of the room and having a central water cooler. Create reasons to stand and move about.
Productivity is not directly correlated with time spent on tasks, so it’s important to make sure that you’re recalibrating and refuelling once in a while.
Ideally, you want a workspace that doesn’t confine employees to one spot and gives them the option to work in different locations, even remotely, if the business model allows for it.
2. Give Gadgets a Home
Smartphones and tablets can help you stay organized, but they can also be a big distraction and aid in time-wasting. The best way to avoid wasting time is to find a home for gadgets and leave them there.
We have so many screens competing for our attention. Consider putting them in a drawer. Try to keep them in their dedicated place while you do your work so that you won’t be distracted by a constant stream of notifications.
3. Keep Your Space Clean
If you’re sitting in a messy area thinking about how messy it is and how you should really clean it, you’re probably not getting a lot done. It makes it much more difficult to be productive at work.
Take a few minutes every day to organize your workspace. Throw out unnecessary items and maintain whatever organization system suits your style, so those extra distractions don’t build up.
In addition to cleaning or organizing your workspace every day, organize and prioritize a to-do list so that you have a clear idea of what you need to do, which have top priority and don’t waste time at the beginning of your workday trying to figure it out. At the end of the day, sit down and quickly write what you need to get done the next work day.
This helps you reflect on what you’ve accomplished during the day and how you can move forward to produce great work the next day.
4. Get Personal
Personalizing your space can increase your emotional connection to your work, but it’s important to not let the personal touches become clutter and to do this in moderation
Items that you don’t frequently use shouldn’t take up desk space. Add a productivity-boosting plant and keep a personal calendar to stay on track throughout the week.
Plants are fashionable these days and aren’t just for pretty social media photos. They serve a great benefit in the office, too. Make space feel more alive. Although not a traditional method of creating a productive workspace, their impact is not imaginary. Plants assist in creating an environment far more conducive to increased productivity, than traditional, sterile workspaces.
Having plants around the workspace helps produce cleaner air, and it motivates one to be more energetic and creative. Scientific studies have even been able to prove the positives of more greenery for the office. From reducing stress to increasing productivity and creativity, plants have been proven to improve it all.
Choose personal items that inspire you to be more productive. Keep a framed photo of your family, kids, partner, or pet on your desk. Let them be the ones that keep you motivated throughout your workday.
No one is the same. There is no single approach to office layouts, design, or functionality that suits everyone, espcially considering there are now 4 generations in the workforce. Having the flexibility to not be in the office during the entirety of the workday, having some plants and personal touches, and having a space to breath, be creative, and express oneself will make the workplace more productive, and helps everyone to be more successful.
If you are looking for the right office space to create a workplace to help employees become more productive at work, we’d love to help. It is what we do on a daily basis through out the US and Canada. Give us a try. No cost and no obligation. Let us know what you are looking for and we will get right on it.