Did you know that your office environment can have an enormous effect on employee productivity? Things from lighting to temperature to sound can have significant impact. Here at Major, we have put together some information we have gathered on commercial environments that can help make your office team more productive and comfortable.
Factors that Impact Productivity
There are countless factors when it comes to employee productivity and overall performance. This includes common things such as clutter, lighting, noise and temperature (something we know a little about). According to the American Society of Interior Designers, the physical workspace design is one the top three factors impacting performance and overall job satisfaction. A further study by the Journal of Public Affairs, Administration and Management found:
- Lighting is the primary factor that impacts productivity
- Temperature has a greater impact on female employees than male employees
- Male employees are more affected by office furniture
- Artificial and natural light are necessary to maximize worker productivity
- Spatial arrangement of furniture is a significant factor to worker productivity
Increasing Productivity
When it comes to increasing productivity, the key areas that you can positively impact are noise, light, temperature and furniture layout.
- Noise – This is one of the biggest distractions when it comes to the office environment. While some employees may work better with a little background noise, others like it when it is completely silent. Therefore, if you have an office environment that has more open space, you will want to have an area where employees can go with less distractions.
- Light – Dim light lowers productivity and fluorescent lighting creates headaches. Incorporating both natural light and artificial light is the best way to increase productivity. Employees sitting near windows helps keep them more relaxed and focused and a bright office increases overall cheerfulness.
- Temperature – If your employees find themselves either too hot or too cold, it will cause them to be distracted from work and unable to focus. While there is no perfect temperature, building systems and controls can help maintain an even temperature throughout your facility, keep your employees more comfortable, and help you save on heating and cooling.
- Furniture – An uncomfortable chair will cause an employee’s productivity to significantly plummet, as well as make them irritable. Offering solutions such as options for a standing desk can greatly help as can spacing out desks versus having pods. Then, employees feel like they have more room and the entire office layout looks less crammed and cluttered. This helps make employees more relaxed and less stressed, thus increasing productivity.
How to Use This Information
Creating an inviting office space will do wonders for your workplace productivity. Some of these changes are easier to make than others. When it comes to temperature and indoor air quality, we can help with boiler systems, commercial HVAC systems, building controls and building automation systems. Call 303-424-1622 or schedule online for a free systems evaluation of your facility.
