In a time of hybrid working and working from home, creating an enticing office space for employees is the top priority, as where they work can significantly affect their work. When it comes to productivity, it’s a well-known fact that happy employees are motivated employees.
University of Warwick study found that happiness boosts employee productivity by 12%. The difficult bit for employers is finding that balance that works for a team of diverse individuals. But creating a positive working atmosphere is worth it.
As an employer, you can do a couple of things to turn your office into a working haven for your employees so that you can improve productivity and creative flow in the office. However, deciding what works best for your organisation might not be easy. So, music licensing company PPL PRS have put together a few ideas to get the ball rolling.
Cater to employees’ senses
When it comes to creating a good working environment, engaging all the senses may work in your favour to increase employee well-being and create a more positive working atmosphere. A recent survey had employees rank from 1-5 on how important stimulants commonly found in offices create a positive working environment.
Workers’ top five sensory stimulants in the office
- music (32%)
- colours (23%)
- fragrance (19%)
- layout / space (13%)
- lighting (11%)
Create a range of workspaces
A desk isn’t where we do our best work for some employees. If your office feels a little dreary and restrictive, there’s a possibility that your employees could feel bored and limited in their setting. Not only does your office need private and collaborative workspaces, but you could also make the most of your workspace by creating a more diverse space.
Do you have a presentation space? A comfy coffee corner? Or maybe even a standing workstation? Of course, making sure that your arrangement suits the purpose of the business is vital, but taking the move to make the office an enjoyable space, as well as a functional one, may work wonders for office atmosphere and employee productivity.
Invest in the team’s growth
There’s nothing like being rewarded for hard work, but while verbal praise is good, some team members will want to be rewarded with something a little more tangible. That’s why investing a little extra in your team’s personal and professional growth might be a good idea.
Employees need to be able to grow and broaden their horizons, allowing them to feel fulfilled and content at work. If not, your employees might start to look elsewhere, possibly partaking in ‘quiet quitting’. So, why not offer extra training or subsidise additional learning for those team members who want to boost their working potential?
Throw team-building events
Although you can change the physical office, giving employees a chance to change their mindset around working can also help create a positive atmosphere and boost productivity. One way to do this is by improving their time outside of working hours.
Workplace events and team-building activities can boost morale within the organisation, giving employees a positive outlook on their working calendar and allowing team members to collaborate with those they wouldn’t usually have a chance to meet. You never know what relationships might form, allowing different teams to connect and work together for the better of the business.
Let employees control the tunes.
Music in the office can sometimes be controversial, and not everyone likes to listen to the same thing. For example, a recent survey of 2,000 UK people shows that C-suit prefers classical music, but the masses find pop more motivating.
A good way of ensuring everyone’s taste is met is by letting different team members choose the music at other times or simply allowing everyone to build on to a schedule of upcoming songs and listen to something they like, boosting their happiness and productivity in the office.
Marianne Rizkallah, music therapist for PPL PRS, commented: Music uniquely enhances personal wellness and professional output. When employees hear a genre or song they like, their brain releases dopamine – a chemical that makes us feel good and a better mood enhances work performance.’
Making simple changes around the office can help staff feel happier and more fulfilled at work. It doesn’t need to break the bank, and just showing that you’re thinking about your employees’ happiness can help them feel valued in their role. And when it can help boost overall productivity and keep recruitment costs low.
