Raising Employee Morale Via Office Enhancements

Employee well-being, work/life balance and positivity are all key factors in today’s most successful workplaces, and many companies are now opting to give their offices a refresh to make that happen.

It doesn’t take a lot of money or a big move to give employees a space that will maximize their zeal and productivity. All it takes is identifying a few rudimentary and fundamental trends that have taken root in the office design world. By adjusting your workspace the same way, your employees can enjoy a space that makes them feel enthusiastic to deliver their best work, while keeping them happy and healthy in the process.

TRANSPARENT PARTITIONS

Traditional walls can choke any sense of camaraderie and teamwork to death in short order, especially when used the wrong way. Having private spaces to work is fine, but walling off every area with solid materials can make employees feel isolated and out of touch. Transparent partitions such as glass dividers and walls have picked up major steam over the years, and are now considered the go-to solution when it comes to sectioning off areas of the office, without cutting the human element out of the equation.

These partitions have since been adapted to fit the open office concept, which itself was in need of a few philosophical upgrades to deal with its key problem areas. The result is an environment where employees can see and interact with each other on a fundamental level, even if they can’t always verbally communicate. That’s Okay, because the need for peace, quiet and privacy hasn’t gone away – it’s simply taken a new approach.

UPGRADED FLOORING

It may not seem like a big deal, but your flooring can actually have an impact on the aesthetic look and feel of your office. Today’s companies are ripping out their carpeting in favor of materials like concrete and vinyl tile which aren’t just nice to look at, but also banish health-related issues like dust and mildew. 

There’s always the option to toss in a few throw rugs and vinyl mats for workstations, the latter of which pulls double duty when it comes to comfort, and floor protection. Upgraded flooring makes an office feel trendy and upbeat, instead of stuck in the 1990s or the early 2000s. 

CEILING UPGRADES

Ceilings deserve just as much love as flooring these days, and the right combination of elements can breathe new life to a workspace. 1980s-style stucco ceilings still permeate many offices around the globe, and it’s time that changed. Today’s companies are looking at ceiling upgrades from the perspective of aesthetics, as well as functionality. 

Noise is a big factor that can be offset by the right ceiling materials. Drop-ceiling panels have taken on a life of their own by offering sound-dampening capabilities. They also come in a variety of styles and materials that can add style and flair to any office environment. By upgrading your office’s ceilings, you can help reduce employee stress headaches and hypertension commonly associated with increased noise levels.

BIOPHILIC DESIGN

One of the most trendy and effective additions to today’s office spaces is the inclusion of nature, which plays a vital role in making employees feel happier and healthier. Biophilic design blends the contemporary office space with smart uses of the colour green, as well as the addition of plants, moss walls and natural sunlight to breathe vitality and freshness into the equation.

Studies have shown that biophilic design can have a marked and dramatic improvement on employee well-being, and that’s no surprise. Old-style fluorescent lights and drab, mechanical office designs can make employees feel as if they’re trapped in a prison. These days, environmental consciousness is everywhere, which is why it’s a great time to invest in biophilic design to better the well-being of your workers.

VERSATILE SPACES

Let’s face it – the employees of today aren’t all that interested in being fixed to a single desk or workstation. Modern offices understand the benefits of versatile spaces, especially in an age when most employees can do their work on a tablet or laptop. If they’re mobile, then they should be allowed to move to different parts of the office to concentrate on work.

Hence, companies are creating entirely new relaxation spaces, game rooms and lunch rooms which can easily double as work areas. Employees who can change their scenery report feeling much more positive and enthusiastic about their work, and that means spaces that get their money’s worth in terms of use and effectiveness.

CONCLUSION

Having read the above, you’ll notice a common denominator among all these tips – versatility. By following these simple trends, you can transform your office space into a model of efficiency, while also improving the health and well-being of your talented workers.

Best of all, your updated workspace can attract new talent, while wowing your VIP visitors in the process. For more information on how to apply these trends to your space, contact Sensyst today. We’ll work with you to determine exactly what approach you should take in order to maximize the effectiveness of these tips.