A good office design can dramatically increase workplace productivity; just ask anyone who remembers the days of falling asleep in their dull, gray cubicle. Increasing productivity through a solid office design starts with evaluating your workforce, brand, and business needs and creating a design that perfectly fits your people and your goals.
Let’s explore how to use office design to increase productivity.
Happy, healthy employees are more productive employees. Creating an office design that supports your people is key to enhancing productivity.
At Benhar, we design workplaces that allow employees space to recharge between meetings and focus without interruption. We often incorporate cubicle panels and dividers that are tall enough for privacy to support a productive office space. Our architectural glass walls can also break up space by adding visual interest and defined spaces for even more privacy.
Use color throughout the office to help energize collaborative spaces. There’s an entire science behind the psychology of color; it really does impact employees' moods, helping them stay focused and motivated throughout the day. Blue is commonly thought of as the most productive color, but green, purple, yellow, and orange may be equally effective in boosting productivity, depending on your brand and office culture.
Using natural light to illuminate an office space has many benefits. It’s eco-friendly, lifts moods, is good for the eyes, and helps employees maintain natural circadian rhythms. Harness natural daylight with skylights and try to give employees a window view for some inspiration. Plants help filter the air and boost mental health to encourage more productivity.
To create a productive office space for employees, invest in desks and chairs with ergonomic designs. Make sure the chair, keyboard, and screen height can be adjusted for everyone. Create an office layout that encourages employees to change positions frequently during the day or even locations in the office. This can help prevent fatigue and that after-lunch brain fog. Many modern offices are incorporating standing desk areas or adjustable-height desks to help alleviate the health problems caused by prolonged sitting. Check out our ergonomic office guide for more ideas.
In an open office environment, consider including an area that employees can use for private phone calls or a quiet space to focus on tasks. A locker area for bicycles and other personal gear also supports healthy living. Semi-private lounge areas can provide a break from desk-sitting. Pod-style chairs that are enclosed on the sides or lounges that have high privacy backs have become popular in these spaces.
Kitchens, pantries, and outdoor areas can provide additional perks for employees who spend a lot of time in the office and create more opportunities for connection between individual contributions. Some of the most productive conversations can happen in these social areas.
Depending on the company's unique needs and corporate culture, open office designs where everyone can see and hear each other can be extremely stressful and disruptive. For maximum productivity, good office interior design must be balanced. Too much open space can increase distraction and noise and make privacy impossible. However, “cubicle farm” designs can be isolating and discourage open communication. A healthy balance is best.
Creating a balanced interior design for maximum productivity may take some experimentation. An office design that acknowledges that people have different working styles and rhythms during the day can maximize workplace productivity and engage employees.
At Benhar Office Interiors, we take the guesswork out of good office design. We’ll work with you to help you find the best office design to increase productivity and employee satisfaction.