Category Archives: Employee health

5 Office Design Tips That Will Help You Be More Productive

Choose the Right Colors

It has been proven that colors have an effect on our brain and mood. Therefore, productivity and colors are connected to each other. Each color has a different effect; for example, blue and green have a calming effect on the brain and are easy on the eyes. On the other hand, yellow boosts creativity. So, mainly bright colors stimulate the mind, and soft colors induce relaxation. You don’t have to paint all the walls with bright colors if you want to inspire creativity, as adding bright colors in different areas in the office will do.

Add a Space for Relaxation

While many business owners are against creating a space for relaxation in the workplace, researchers have proved that employees are much more productive when they are provided with space where they can unwind, recharge, and take a break in when things get tough and complicated. Think of it as a power nap that recharges our bodies and freshens up our minds. Actually, if you allow power naps in these relaxation spaces, that would be a great idea, as sometimes we need to step back a little and unwind, so we can figure out solutions for problems. Adding a cozy space for relaxation is a guaranteed way for increasing productivity.

Minimalism

The less clutter, the easier things will get done. Moreover, clutter makes people feel stressed out and uncomfortable. Minimalism has a calming effect on the brain and would make your office look chic. The fewer items are in the office, the more positive energy will enter your workplace. Furthermore, minimal furniture and items in an office reduce or eliminate the feeling of being overwhelmed. Even in open workspaces, you can apply minimalism. One of the ways to apply minimalism is by doing space partitioning with tool accommodation for a clutter-free desktop area. Also, applying minimalism is very cost-effective. When employees start their day in a simple, chic office, they feel more relaxed and become more productive.

Use Scents

Scents have the power to stimulate our senses, and the same with colors, each scent has a different effect on our brain. For instance, peppermint scent is energizing and refreshing and helps people focus more, citrus scents help in reducing stress and have an uplifting effect, and lavender promotes calmness and wellness. You can put essential oil diffusers around your office to avoid using scented candles to eliminate the risk of accidental fires.

Add Plants

There is no denying that plants have a refreshing yet calming effect on us. We always go back to our innate love for nature because we are natural-loving beings, and we are connected to plants and nature in a way or another. To bring good and positive vibes to your workplace, add potted plants and vases in the work area. Any kind of plant will do the trick. Moreover, other than increasing productivity, plants purify the air in the office.

You cannot expect employees to reach their full potential and do their best when they work in a boring, bland workspace. In order to make your employees happier and keep them motivated, you need to provide them with the right working environment. Everything in the workspace has a direct effect on the employees’ productivity like the wall colors, scents, and furniture. Adding greenery to the office creates a fresh, energizing feel and invites positive energy to the place. Moreover, creating a cozy space, where employees can take a break from work and recharge, is proven to increase the employees’ productivity. Besides, all of these solutions for increased productivity won’t cost you a lot of money, on the contrary, they might even cut costs.

And if you are looking for an office for your company where everyone can be more productive at work, let us know and we will show you how we can help you acquire your next office space. Our services are free to you.

3 Tips To Sync Your Home Office With Your Main Office

1. Choose Your Location

In syncing your home office with your main office, the first thing you have to settle is the location inside your house where you’ll set up your home office. As they would say in website design: build around user behavior, and not the other way around. In much the same way, set up in a spot where family members don’t go.

In choosing a location observe every corner of the house and think about which part is least frequented by everyone at home.
As much as possible, choose a spot which has a door you can close or lock. This works both ways. It helps you close yourself in and focus on your work, away from the distractions in the house. It also helps you separate your working hours from your rest hours, by closing your office at the end of each working day.
Another thing you have to keep in mind in choosing your work spot or location is potential distractions from other members of your household. If you have kids, or if there are toddlers inside the house, try to choose a location which they don’t frequent or isn’t likely to be a place where they’d be doing their role-playing or pretend games. If you have pets such as cats or dogs, you’ll also have to think of a place which they won’t frequent or they might inadvertently tear a report or important document.

2. Surrounding That Helps You Focus

The next thing you have to consider when thinking of setting up your home office is, you should set it up in a surrounding which would help you focus. Whether you work in the office or at home, being able to focus on your work and specific tasks at hand is one of the most important things that would help you finish the work you need to do.

Your surroundings should enable you to focus and concentrate on your work. If you’ve worked for quite a number of companies, you’d know which kinds of office set-up works for you and which are those that don’t.
Aside from what you can see in your home office, another thing you need to consider in removing all possible distractions is the noise and other sound distractions which you would be able to hear once you start working in your home office. If at all possible, line your home office with sound insulation materials such as cork boards on the ceiling and around the walls of your home office.
If your work entails exerting your creativity, then you also need to think of setting up your spot in such a way it would help you concentrate when you have to, pull away when you need to see the big picture, and unleash your creativity whenever you think you’re facing an unsolvable problem.

3. Productivity And Connectivity

Another thing you have to take into account when sync your home Office is how your office will enable and help you increase your productivity and connectivity.

One of the first few things on your checklist for productivity is a flat surface or desk. It doesn’t have to be a very large desk. Choose a desk that’s wide enough for you to do the work you have to do, with ample space for your usual clutter when you’re at work.
You need internet connectivity which is enough for your work requirements. If your work entails a lot of video presentations or video conferencing, remember that these things usually take up a lot of bandwidth when you go online. So, make sure your internet connectivity is good enough for what you need to do most of the time.
Part of being productive comes from having the right equipment and devices for what you need to do and being comfortable enough to be able to focus on your tasks without feeling drowsy or sleepy. If your work entails a lot of video conferencing, then maybe it’s time to invest in external cameras if you’re using desktop computers and a good headset if you take a lot of phone calls.

Bringing Your Office Home

As many companies have realized the immense potential of allowing their employees to work from home, more office workers are being placed on work-from-home mode. This may become more standard way companies decide to have employees work.

If you are looking for an office that your employees can sync to from home, contact us. Our local reps can help you, at no cost to you, find the right space at the best price and avoid costly mistakes. Give us a try! No obligation.

Simplest Ways to Become Productive at Work

● Get Organized

Organizing your workstation is the first step to becoming a productive worker. You may think you’re a performer, but your desk is full of unnecessary paperwork, pens, staple pins, and other office items. Although you complete your work assignments, you may not be an organized person. Make sure your desk is neat and all your computer files are in order. Getting organized is a critical skill that improves productivity levels.

You can locate essential files within a short time frame and beat deadlines with ease. Working in a neat and organized station helps you concentrate and boost your moods, resulting in motivation and increased productivity.

● Avoid Distractions

Minimizing distractions during work hours enables you to increase efficiency and finish tasks on time. Attending unnecessary meetings, gossiping with colleagues, and spending time on social media are some of the distractions that can prevent you from attaining productivity. These distractions affect your concentration, and you will eventually lose focus on what you were working on. Also, ensure you perform one task at a time.

● Don’t Multitask

Although most people think that multitasking translates to more work done, it is also a distraction. Working on numerous tasks at once means that you will concentrate on one and neglect others. Or you will perform shoddy work without cross-checking for errors. Therefore, it’s best to finish one task at a time to increase efficiency and productivity.

● Prioritize Your Work

Prioritizing your tasks is a critical aspect that determines whether you are a productive employee or not. You might submit incomplete assignments if you don’t plan your work according to urgency. Thus, prioritize your workload to avoid getting overwhelmed. Creating to-do lists every day is one way to plan your tasks. Break down complicated assignments into doable tasks and place them according to urgency. After ranking your work, make sure you finish them on time. Prioritizing your work increases productivity.

● Learn New Skills

Productive employees do not sit and wait for projects, especially if they require consequential processes in different stages. You need to learn what other employees are doing to accomplish various tasks. Thus, learn new skills when you can; you never know when they might come in handy. Learning is part of becoming a productive worker because you enhance your skills and focus on practical solutions. Use online resources, such as YouTube, and podcasts, to learn new skills and enhance workplace productivity.

● Avoid Burnout

Are you a workaholic who spends long hours in the office? Your boss may be impressed with your work, but when you experience burnout, your work efficiency reduces. Therefore, do not work until you have no energy left for the next task. Balance your workload and take breaks when necessary to avoid fatigue and extreme burnout. You don’t have to complete all the work assignments at once; delegate other projects to your junior staff or work according to urgency. Moreover, avoid carrying work at home in the evening because it will affect your work-life balance. Ask for help or take a few days off when you start losing interest in your work or experience energy loss to perform even the simplest tasks.

● Work at Your Best

Most people feel more alert and productive in the morning, while others work best at night, especially remote workers. Choose a suitable time because you will deliver more in a short time when you are fresh and mentally alert. Therefore, do not force yourself to complete work tasks when you feel demotivated. It is better to work at your best time and maximize your productive hours.

Ultimately, people are different and work within varied conditions. But if you want to become a productive worker, you must cultivate the above skills one day at a time. Consistency is key, and over time your employer will start noticing results and reward your efforts. Be the unmatched employee who gets things done immediately, no matter how big or small the task. Highly productive people are efficient, valuable, and lead fulfilling lives because they also know the significance of balancing work-life commitments.

And if you are looking for a workplace for your company where everyone can be more productive at work, let us know and we will show you how we can help you acquire your next office space.

3 Reasons Why Online Education Works Well For Employees

Take Your Business and Employees To A Whole New Level with Online Education

Developing and growing your company usually involves helping your employees grow alongside you. Which can mean giving them access to high-quality education. Today, the internet and computers have made it easy to provide the ability for everyone to have access to education no matter where you are.

Online education has become a game-changing tool for businesses and their employees. Here are three reasons why you should consider implementing Online Education with your employees.

1) Provides Your Employees With Incentive

Offering your employees the opportunity to advance their skills through free or discounted education gives them the incentive to want to do well in their position. In some cases even advance their careers. Most employees in America are unable to afford any further education and therefore will be very appreciative of the opportunity.

This education will also boost your employee’s self-esteem. They will feel needed and more equipped for their tasks going forward and will therefore result in a higher retention rate and happier employees. It is easy to find programs. As an example, a quick search at MyDegreeGuide.com will show you how easy it is to select a program suitable for your employees.

Some may worry that offering employees a way to better their skills will send them on the hunt to use those skills at a different company however, there is no data to support that statement. In fact, it’s actually the opposite. Employees are more likely to remain loyal to a company when provided with the opportunity to grow and learn for free or at a discounted rate.

2) Increases Productivity and Progress

Since the education is being offered online, the productivity and progress of your company will not be put on hold. You employees will be able to continue their work throughout the day and have time afterwards to work on their education and skills.

On average, Online Education to your staff increases productivity by at least 2%, and when the courses are specific to the company that rate increases even more. Education improves an individuals’ communication, time management, and collaboration skills which will inherently affect how well your company runs. Imagine a business full of individuals highly skilled in time management? The turnaround time would be unparalleled.

3) Increases Your Business’ Profits

If your company’s productivity is increasing it’s logical to assume that so would your profit and you are correct. Employees with a hire turnaround time as a result of proper training will bring in a revenue of up abn average of 24% more than a company that doesn’t offer their employees education.

You may be thinking about how much the cost would be to be able to offer your employees at least a discounted rate of tuition, and you’re right it will run the business a hefty amount. However, in the end, the pros outweigh the cons and you’ll be left with a stronger and healthier company. If you’re able to find the funds to do this it is highly recommended. it is a great employee benefit! Only you know what the best decision for your business and employees are, choose wisely.

And if you are looking for an office to house your well educated employees, we can help. Contact us today. Our services are free and there is no obligation. We will put you in contact with a top local tenant rep who will also help with no cost to you.

Benefits of Indoor Plants for Your Office

Adding indoor plants to the office can bring many benefits. Not only it boosts productivity, but it also livens up the place as well. It adds a touch of beauty to the area. In the section below, you will know the five benefits of indoor plants for your office.

5 Benefits Of Indoor Plants For Your Office

1. It Improves The Air Quality

The first one on the list is that indoor plants improve the quality of the air. As you all know, plants have the capacity to absorb the gas called carbon dioxide. In the workplace, it can reduce carbon dioxide levels from ten to twenty-five percent. Now that amount is not something you can just shrug off. It is a good way to filter out the air.

Then, it was discovered back then by numerous studies that plants can remove chemicals like benzene and formaldehyde- so it definitely lessens air pollution, which results in people breathing cleaner air.

2. It Reduces Stress

Many studies have already been conducted that plants reduce stress and even anxiety levels.

There is a whole lot of evidence out there that plants do have this ability to mend people somewhat, on about thirty to sixty percent on average. If you are having trouble picking plants for your office, professionals got you. The professionals from Frenchams offer different kinds of plants to create a healthier and efficient workplace. So, what are you waiting for?

Add some leafy friends that you and your co-workers would both appreciate. Engaging with nature helps individuals to become more calm and relaxed. You cannot deny that. If plants have a positive mental effect on our health, then there is more reason to get one- or even more.

3. It Boosts Productivity Levels

In the workplace where there are a lot of things going on, everyone must be a busybody. A lot of research has been conducted and it was seen that plants can boost productivity levels. Although there are a few factors that contribute to this due to the quality of the air, which leads to fewer people becoming sick and falling to the office building syndrome.

Office building syndrome is when you are having a hard time concentrating on your work and you feel like you will get the flu anytime. Get plants to eliminate this syndrome that you will face sooner or later.

4. It Can Lower Noise Levels

People chattering around the workplace cannot be avoided sometimes in the office. This is where plants come in handy. Plants tend to decrease disruptive influence.

Due to their capacity to absorb noises, they can successfully lower noise levels. This will be more successful if larger plant pots are put in various positions around the room’s sides and corner sections.

5. It Makes The Place More Attractive

Adding a little bit of green around the black and white walls of the office will make the place more attractive than ever. If you are looking for a decoration that is cheap yet efficient, plants are the best solution.

Not only you are helping the environment, but it will also bring several benefits to all of you in the long run. Also, talents that look around your place will be joining in no time, knowing that their environment is a relaxing and calm one.

With these 5 top benefits that indoor plants can give to you, there is no more reason to think about it over again and again. Improve air quality, reduce noise levels, reduce stress levels, boost productivity, and make the place more attractive with indoor plants.

And if you are looking for office space, we can help with our network of top local tenant reps. They will make sure you avoid costly mistakes, like poor infastructure. Contact us today for mor information on how we can help. No cost or obligation.

Protective Measures Offices Can Implement to Prevent COVID-19 Transmission

We live in an age where a global pandemic is quickly spreading between people wherever they go. Since life has to go on and some people have to keep going to work in their offices, it is important to know how you can protect yourself and those around you from the dangerous virus. Offices often have numerous employees working side by side in teams or individually to keep their establishment running smoothly and making profits. Here are some protective measures your office can implement in order to prevent COVID-19 transmission and ensure everyone is safe.

Wear Masks

Masks have been proven to be one of the best ways to avoid transmission of COVID-19. Make sure that when your employees are moving around the office that they are wearing masks. It is a very simple and effective way to keep them safe.

Encourage Hand Washing

One of the main things you should really focus on in your office to protect everyone against COVID-19 is encouraging your employees to wash their hands regularly. All the global health organizations are swearing by the effects of regular hand washing for at least 20 seconds each time to remove all kinds of harmful viruses and bacteria effectively. Regular hand washing will greatly minimize the risk of infection and help keep everyone safe in case someone is infected with the virus but is not showing any symptoms. Make sure you raise awareness of the importance of handwashing and personal hygiene in the office and hang signs everywhere to remind your employees to wash their hands so that everyone stays safe in their work environment.

Clean All Surfaces

Offices often have numerous employees going back and forth from one desk to another and touching different surfaces as they go. Keeping your surfaces regularly cleaned and disinfected is essential when it comes to protecting everyone working in the office. Make sure you use proper cleaning products to clean all the surfaces in the office, from desks to floors, and even walls and mirrors. As seen on HealthySole, you can even invest in new gadgets that are made to facilitate the process of cleaning surfaces automatically, or even cleaning shoes when people are on their way in or out of any room so that the risk of virus spreading is greatly reduced. Anything that can be touched by any of the employees in your office is something that should be disinfected on a regular basis to reduce the risk of COVID spreading.

Install Disinfection Booths

Many of those who get infected by the COVID-19 virus do not show symptoms until after a few days or may not show any symptoms at all, yet they can still be spreading the virus everywhere they go. To reduce the risk of your employees infecting one another when they walk into the office, it can be a good idea to invest in a disinfection booth on the door of your office to remove any lodging bacteria or viruses on people’s clothes and faces before they enter the workplace. It can also be a good idea to have someone measure people’s temperatures with a digital thermometer before they walk into the office to ensure nobody is infected without realizing they actually are.

Keep Employees Distant From One Another

When it comes to protecting your employees from COVID-19 transmission in the workplace, one of the most effective measures to implement is social distancing. You need to make sure all your employees are standing or sitting at a safe distance from one another to reduce the risk of the virus spreading, and ensure everyone is safe while working. You can start by making some space between each desk in the office and reducing the number of employees you have by giving them alternate shifts so that they can all keep their jobs but stay safe at the same time. It can also be a good idea to have some of your employees work from home whenever possible and start a virtual office environment rather than risk everyone’s safety. This way, you will be saving your employees from all the hassle of having to come to the office every day and reducing the risk of transmitting the virus. If your employees have to go to the office, then make sure they are distant from one another and wearing face masks at all times.

Implement an Agile Workplace

An Agile Workplace concept is an activity-based work space that makes the work space flexible. It is an office hoteling reservation technique or set up in a workplace. It is a way of utilizing a work area more efficiently, utilizing non-assigned seating arrangement and desk-sharing to maximize and creating collaborative spaces. Employees who don’t need to be in the office daily can make reservations to come in when they or you need them to do so. This way will limit the number of employees in the office at any one time and therefor reduce the risk to those employees wh are in the office.

A Scary Time for Employees

Living and working through a pandemic can be pretty scary. In order to keep yourself and all your employees safe in the workplace, you need to make sure you are following all the basic protective measures to prevent COVID-19 transmission by reducing the risk of infection and ensure the work keeps running smoothly. Make sure you raise the awareness of your employees about all the safety procedures they need to take to stay safe against the virus. It can also be a good idea to put some effort into creating a virtual office space where your employees can work from home and nobody has to risk their health in the first place.

If you are looking for a professional to discuss your office space options, we’d be happy to talk with you. Use our contact form to have one of our local pros get in touch with you, even if it is just to discuss options. We know office space and can help you identify what would work best for your company.

Is Coworking the Solution to Childcare Work Issues?

The arrival of a new baby brings joy to the parents. However, it isn’t long before the family realizes that their focus on career and work has gone down. A recent report shows that nine in ten families with a new baby have at least one working parent. This means that one or both parents must continue working after the arrival of a new child and has the potential for childcare work issues.

Although remote working and freelancing have replaced the traditional 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. employment, the majority of people still have to go to work during the day. Most companies are yet to create kid-friendly workspaces. Similarly, daycares are nowhere to be found in most corporate environments. Parents soon discover that they spend very little time with their children because they have to go to work every day.

Some parents try to take new careers, reduce their working hours, or come up with a flexible working schedule as they raise their children. While this can increase the amount of time you spend with your child, you’ll still be facing several problems. So, is everything lost?

Enter Coworking Spaces

The first coworking space in the US was opened in 2005. Although coworking spaces did not sprout quickly, they have become very many across the country in the recent past. Here, you will find remote workers, freelancers, and professional teams sharing one office. Studies have proven that people working in co-working spaces have higher productivity levels than those working in traditional offices.

As the demand for coworking spaces increases, many coworking companies are creating new features. One of the most famous updates is the introduction of a child care unit within the coworking environment. The child care unit has various purposes and features. Many resemble the standard daycare models, while others are more like babysitting services or ‘after school’ style learning experiences that encourage skills like math, science and even coding. The entire idea is to enable parents to work as they know they have the care of their children.

Benefits

If you find a coworking space that has childcare components, you can expect many benefits from that place. First, you will be working alongside people with similar challenges and opportunities. They, too, will be taking care of their children as they try to cater to clients and their careers.

Similarly, the coworking space comes with shorter commuting distances within the day. You don’t have to travel far during lunch breaks to see your children. You can just be working as your children play nearby.

Typical Hiccups

Unfortunately, not everything goes well in coworking spaces with childcare components. There are fluctuating rental prices, lack of appropriate locations, and incompatible childcare facilities. When somebody starts a childcare facility, they must satisfy many requirements.

For example, they must get the right license for the business and their employees. Similarly, there is a child-to-adult ratio that must be adhered to at all times. At the same time, if you want to take your child to work, you must get the appropriate license.

Places Where It Has Already Worked

Despite the existence of many challenges, some coworking spaces with childcare facilities have seen immense success in the last few years reducing childcare work issues. One of these companies is The Workaround. The Toronto-based company promotes a working environment where creators, artists, and parents can work together. Everybody is a parent with a dream to fulfil and children to take care of.

The main obstacle to establishing coworking spaces with childcare facilities is the lack of proper regulation. Authorities have placed tough ratios and facility requirements on daycare facilities.

Bottom Line

It is seems obvious that coworking is the future of the office. It balances the flexibility of working from home and the professionalism of going to an office. The introduction of childcare facilities at coworking spaces means parents of young children can continue their careers and work when their baby arrives and mitigate childcare work issues.

We can help you find a coworking space that meets your needs. Contact us today to learn more.

7 Best Ways to Keep Your Office Comfortably Heated

As the weather has turned colder and the pandemic continues, businesses owners may be concerned about keeping their office comfortably heated affordably in a time where sales are sparse, and income is not what it used to be. With several cost-effective ways to keep your office comfortably heated, it is possible to maintain a constant temperature in the office without running up a huge monthly bill. To help you get started, we will be providing you with some of the best ways for you to keep your office toasty and warm throughout the cooler months.

1. Your HVAC Heating System

For businesses operating within high rise office buildings, several offices are heated using a state-of-the-art Heating Venting Air Conditioning (HVAC) system. This system can heat several offices within the block simply and effectively. To keep your office heated, it is important to make sure that it is zoned correctly. If you have cold spots, contact your property manager or service company to see if you can reconfigure your zones to spread the warmth more evenly.

2. Get a Radiator Fitted

Though most businesses have a built-in heating system, there are older office spaces and studio environments that may not have the luxury of an up-to-date heating system. If this is the case then you might consider the need to buy radiators online to place within the office space and ensure that is a comfortable space to work in. These radiators can be shipped straight to the office space and can be installed within the office or the studio environment. They come in different sizes and can fit even the smallest of spaces.

3. Electric Heater

Though it is unlikely that a maintained heating system will stop working, having an electric heater in the office will act as a great backup just in case. This can be kept in a storage cupboard and can be placed within a meeting room or within the core section of the office to keep people warm in the unlikely event that the heating system breaks. With electric heaters ranging in size, there are several heaters that you can place in the office that can take the edge off even on the coldest day and keep your office comfortably heated.

4. Dress The Windows In The Office

One of the easiest ways that heat is lost in an office is through the windows, particularly if you are working within an older office space. Therefore, it is important to dress your window with either a blind or a set of curtains that can keep in the heat and prevent the temperature from dropping in the office. This is a great way of keeping the cold out on a cool winters day while still allowing you to enjoy the sun in the summer months.

5. Upgrade The Windows If You Can

Another way that you can go about keeping your office heated is to upgrade your windows where you can. Though this may require you to talk to the landlord. Switching out your windows in the office for an energy-efficient option will enable you to keep the office comfortable all year round.

6. Make Use Of Carpet On Wooden Floors

If your office has wooden floors or even tiles, it may be worth taking the time to implement carpet runners onto the floors. This will allow you to keep heat within the office as the carpet will absorb the hear and help to keep the office warm even when the heating is turned down at night. This is also a great way of showcasing the colour scheme of the brand and bring the whole room together.

7. Use Fabrics On Chairs

The final way that you can keep the office warm is to use chairs that have fabric backings, With a huge amount of furniture absorbing the heat from the heating system throughout the day, this will make the office e feel warmer and will create a more welcoming environment for your employees. This can also be used in larger spaces to provide different areas for visitors and employees all whilst promoting a comfortable working environment.

As you can see, there are several ways that you can keep the office comfortably heated regardless of the weather conditions. Which of these will you be trying in your office space?

If you are looking for office space in which your employees can be comfortable in, contact us today. Our local tenant reps are not only experts in helping their clients find and negotiate for office space but are also intimately familiar with various heating systems to ensure your comfort.

6 Ways A Clean Office Enhances Employee Productivity and Well-Being

A vital element to employee productivity is a clean workspace and it all makes sense now why the popular adage says “your space reflects your state of mind.” Aside from the fact that having a clean workspace improves one’s productivity, it also helps to refresh our mind.

Furthermore, it’s not how big or small your business is that serves or gauges the quota of your priority level for the cleanliness of your office; cleanliness is essentially crucial and highly valued for general well-being. The modern office has gone through several evolutions in the last 20 years and the influence of the office environment on employees’ health, wellbeing, and productivity remains to be a trend.

Several research projects and studies have affirmed and corroborated the impact of workplace cleanliness on productivity, and understanding how vital this is, employers tend to opt-in for the service of business cleaners who’ll do justice to the cleanliness of the office environment.

For employees to produce their best work, they need to be calm in their physical work settings and feel comfortable, and if you would prefer to oblige to business cleaning contract services to make your office space sparkling clean, do well to only go for experienced business cleaners who will put good efforts in effectively contributing to the workspace’s productive atmosphere.

Six Ways a Clean Workspace Guarantees Employee Productivity

1. It Makes Employees Happy

Have you ever thought of the kind of bliss your employees will feel when they walk into the office to meet a neat and tidy space? In fact, they’ll always be glad to show up at work and this will foster their productivity. With a clean office, they’ll have more time to get things done and they can quickly and easily track down paperwork if need be.

Keeping a clean work desk means zero distraction and this fully eradicates the need to scamper around wasting time and getting exhausted while looking for a document. Employees spend about eight hours in an office and they tend to treat their office as their second home. Thus, a tidy office is a necessity to achieve a desirable comfort zone that will beef up productivity.

2. It Enhances Creativity

When your employees are clustered with arranging “this” and taking care of “that”, you restrict and deprive them of harnessing their creativity because too much clutter can be detrimental to clear, creative thinking.

Although some people would say the mess on their desk can help them think and be creative, it’s worthy to emphasize that an untidy desk and workspace can hinder you from giving your all to what you are to do for the day because it subconsciously draws you back from tapping into that full creativity level.

As an employer, you can encourage your employees to practice the habit of decluttering their office space daily to help enable them to have a peace of mind of their cleanliness because after all, an agile workplace can go a long way in encouraging creativity, teamwork and problem-solving.

3. It Improves Focus On Work

You’ll find it pretty herculean to focus on your work when you have an untidy workplace because a cluttered office has a lot of distractions and it threatens your sense of personal control. A messy environment is in no way beneficial because it makes you have a short persistence.

On the other hand, you’ll be able to easily focus on the matter at hand when you have a clean space because there’s this sense of calmness and personal control one feels in the ambience of a clean environment.

4. It Reduces Stress

Relaxation and peace, often, don’t necessarily come with possessions of material things — decluttering is a great way to feel relaxed, reduce stress, and combat anxiety. You’ll not be able to focus on work and your anxiety levels will increase when you have too much in your office.

5. It Maximizes Employee’s Working Time.

You’ll be helping your employees to concentrate on the more important things if as an employer, you prioritize the cleanliness of the office workspace. Several business cleaners can provide a variety of services to help ensure employees’ working areas are kept in pristine condition.

Paperwork will be easy to find when the desks of your employees are organized and they’ll be able to spend quality time on getting their to-do lists effectively tackled rather than wasting time frantically looking for a document in a messed up office. Investment in a business cleaning service is worthwhile for employers who truly care about their employees’ well-being and as well desire to improve their productivity and creativity.

6. It Keeps A Healthy Workspace.

Health is wealth and one of the best ways to facilitate good health is to get into the habit of cleaning and decluttering your office space. Employees should know that a messy office can have a severe effect on the overall productivity of the company and there could be several sick leaves and more absenteeism if workers’ health is compromised.

The Interesting History of the Ergonomic Seating

Keeping your employees healthy is important. Ergonomic seating and furniture for office space have been around for a few decades now, however it is just recently that they have begun to get popular. A question to ask is where did ergonomics originate from and how did it get implemented into the workplace? How did it evolve into what we have today? Ergonomics has actually had an interesting and has been an area of study for a long time.

Ergonomics Was Created In the 1850s

As early as the 1700s, people were documenting work-related injuries and what was causing them. You might think of workplace injuries as a modern issue, but as early as 1713, people were studying why injuries occur from labor. This led to the creation of the word “ergonomics” in 1857 which was a method to help increase comfort while working and reduce injuries. It is interesting to see the evolution of the word move from basic labor, towards pieces of equipment such as office chairs that are used to increase productivity and comfort. Ergonomic chairs are still a long way off at this point in history, but the wheels have been set in motion to get us to where we are today.

A Way To Increase Production

The next time we saw ergonomics mentioned was in the 1900s, as factories and bosses were trying to find ways to increase the productivity of their employees. They tested a variety of different methods, such as more comfortable seating, and different tools to accomplish tasks. What they found was that while they had to spend money to help employees out, the employees were able to triple their output at times. This led to many factories and workplaces looking for ways that they could help employees reach full production.

World War II and Post War

When it came to the war, many areas in the country were converted into factories to help with the war efforts. Because human labor was extremely high, they had to find ways to speed up the process and allow people to produce as much as possible. This led to creating more machines that people could use and interact with. Along with that, creating proper workspaces for someone to sit while working would allow them to work longer without fatigue.

Once the war ended, serious research began to be put into ergonomics and how the human body responds when sitting. These findings helped to prove what everyone thought about ergonomics. They did in fact increase the productivity of an employee but creating an environment where they are able to work longer and work more comfortably. The industry began to brainstorm different ideas of how they could incorporate ergonomics into their work more and how they could better the processes that were already in place. This led to people looking at pieces of equipment such as the chair for example and experimenting around with it to determine what made a person work best.

Fast Forward To Today

Looking back, we have come a long way from World War II, especially when it comes to the ergonomics of sitting. Science and the medical field now fully understand what happens to your spine when sitting in a chair that is not comfortable. With the medical field pushing out data to show the importance of an aligned spine and ergonomic seating, the furniture industry has responded by finding new ways to incorporate these levels of comfort.

You will find in your standard ergonomic chair there is going to be a headrest of sorts for your neck muscles to relax, armrests so you can rest your arm muscles, a cushioned back to soften the impact on your spine, and finally a soft surface to sit on which will reduce the amount of pressure that you put on your hips. If you look into fancier ergonomic chairs, you can find ones with lumbar support, that will help your lower back and reduce pain. It is interesting to see in the past twenty years how much the design of the chair has changed.

This leads us now to looking forward and seeing what the future holds for ergonomic chairs and furniture. Advancements have already been made to create spaces where people can lay down while working. Creating a chair or a piece of furniture is not difficult, creating one that is comfortable and healthy for people is another story. As we learn more and more about the body, we will begin to use that research to create better pieces of furniture and equipment for us to use. Fifty years down the road, our implementation of ergonomics might be incredibly different than what we have today. Do you use an ergonomic chair in your line of work?

See more on employee health on OfficeFinder