How Your Office Space Impacts Employee Productivity Levels

Over the last 20 years, offices have changed and evolved. From the late 80s to the early 90s, office spaces were hubs of cubicle farms, where employees worked in very small, self-contained spaces. Often, there were hundreds of people working on one floor in this way. In the 2000s, cubicles were made redundant in most places and the open floorplan became the top choice for office layouts and designs. From around 2015 onwards, things such as breakout spaces and communal areas became much more commonplace, encouraging employees to interact and engage with each other.

Whilst office trends come and go, there are some things which don’t tend to change as much and that is the impact that the office environment has on employee wellbeing and productivity. A well designed workplace leads to a more productive atmosphere for employees and it is essential that workplaces take the design of their office space into much more consideration – a recent study found that a well designed office increased productivity by 20%. Let’s take a look at the ways in which office space can impact employee productivity levels.

Office Layout

Your office layout can make or break your employee’s productivity levels. You want your employees to move freely throughout the office without feeling as though they are being restricted to one area of the office, however, you also want employees to be able to enjoy some alone time to concentrate on their work if required.

This is why the layout of your office is so important. You need to take your employee’s working habits into consideration before deciding on an office fit out and see which options they would prefer. Choosing the right options means that your employees feel supported and have the ability to work in the way that they choose.

Colour And Lighting

Having your office decorated in the wrong colours can seriously affect the productivity levels of your employees and yet so many businesses don’t realise that this is an issue. There have been many studies carried out that look at the link between office colours and productivity levels and it has been found that blue, green and yellow tones are the most productive.

As well as colour, it is important to ensure that there is plenty of natural light in your office space. Harsh, fluorescent lighting can leave people feeling uncomfortable and it has been found that, in office environments, this type of lighting can cause eye strain and headaches, which is not ideal for employee health.

Furniture

In a recent study, 92% of respondents said that the comfort of their work area is one of the most important factors in their productivity levels. With a lot of office space, furniture is often chosen for aesthetic purposes, rather than functional purposes. As a result, this can cause employees to feel uncomfortable whilst they work. Ergonomic furniture is a must in an office environment, as it can support a healthy posture and reduce stress and strain in key areas, such as the neck and back.

It is also important for productivity levels that employees work in a space that is free from clutter. Storage is something that is often overlooked in an office environment and when the space is in disarray, this can then be bad for productivity. It’s important to ensure that, when considering an office or commercial fit out, the right furniture is chosen to support your employees.