Commercial renovations are a large market right now, with many companies turning to update their offices to make them more inspiring and inviting to employees.
Productivity can be something that many businesses need to overcome, especially in offices with multiple employees working in close quarters. We want to set our employees up for success, and the best way to do that is to help them through the office’s layout.
1. Reconsider the Open Floor Layout
The open floor layout has been popular for the last ten years, but it’s time to take into consideration if it did much for the productivity of workers. The idea behind it is that human interaction will make the workday more pleasant and allow for employees to view themselves as the team that they are.
After years of research, it was discovered that most open floor layouts aren’t working. These layouts make employees unhappy; it also increases distractions and can pull employees’ attention fully off of the work at hand. Employees have said that they prefer an office design that allows them to decide when they want to interact with team members over one that forces interaction and causes distraction.
This puts the power back in employee’s hands so that they can decide when they want to interact and don’t feel watched by others.
2. Ensure Natural Light Is King
Natural lighting is as important as the air in an office. Good natural lighting increases vitamin D (which improves mood and decreases anxiety and depression) in employees and is far easier on the eyes than any artificial lighting. By making an office that allows for as much sunlight to filter in as possible, you can increase productivity and encourage employees to feel good about working.
Natural lighting can be a problem if it’s seen as glaring or too bright, so it’s a good idea to find a healthy balance between the two with products that can divert the light, or even contain it for usage through items like solar panels.
3. Use Artificial Lighting Intelligently
Not every day is gorgeous and sunny, and many offices need employees to stay a little later in the day. An important part of commercial lighting is to ensure that it’s not invasive or distracting.
Integrate your lightings’ design into the floor plan, and consider using smart lighting that will adjust in brightness according to the buildings’ needs. This means as the day starts, it’s brighter, slowly turns off as the sunlight increases, and then turns back on slowly as the sun sets again. This intelligent design will ensure the lighting isn’t intrusive and feels natural.
4. Create As Much Sound Dampening As Possible
Sound dampening is vital in any office because it ensures that employees won’t be distracted by others working. Good acoustic ceiling tiles will absorb any sound that comes from an office or cubicle and will keep the other employees safe from having to experience it.
When we get distracted, it can take us up to 23 minutes to fully immerse ourselves back in our tasks. This is a lot of time to lose, so using sound dampening can turn it around so that employees are fully productive the entire time they’re in the office.
We want to give our employees the tools they need to succeed, and the best way to do that is to make an office that allows them to show how incredible they are.
5. Ensure The Office Is Something Employees Look Forward To
Create details that will leave employees excited to get to work! Whether this is an amazing break room with free coffee and delicious snacks or commercial radiant floor heating systems that keep them comfortable and happy: employees want to feel respected and at ease. As a result, they are more willing to work for a company that sees them as human beings instead of a number.
6. Keep The Air Cool and Well Filtered
Clean air can change how we perceive the space that we’re in. For example, keeping the office temperature at a cool sixty-eight to seventy degrees will allow employees to be more alert and focused at their desks.
Well-filtered air can increase the health of those in the office, especially since the interior of many office buildings is often full of dust and debris that can be hard to breathe through. If you’re focused on the health and well-being of your employees, a great HVAC system with fantastic filters is a must-have.
The Main Point of Any Commercial Space Is Productivity. Your employees are parts of your company that help you succeed, but they’re also deserving of the respect and thought that comes with an office space they can feel comfortable working in. Give them what they need to succeed, and they’ll show how fantastic they truly are.
A focused team is an innovative and productive team.
Author Todd Gillman is the content director for the Innovative Building Materials blog and a content writer for the building materials industry. He is focused on helping fellow homeowners, contractors, and architects discover materials and methods of construction that save money, improve energy efficiency, and increase property value.
