We are going through a workplace crisis with stress reaching epic proportions. Just under a fifth of Britons suffer from anxiety or depression and with the stuttering economy, lack of job security is causing extra pressure to perform – resulting in our physical health suffering.
The way the interior of an office is configured has a profound impact on concentration, collaboration, confidentiality and creativity – and can therefore either enable, or limit, productivity. It can also have a very direct impact on health and wellbeing, which in turn also impacts productivity.
Making an office work for your employees isn’t rocket science – good office layout, natural light, well-monitored temperature, good facilities, etc – even the smallest changes show you value your people and their wellbeing.
When planning your interior layout, take into account workstation density; task based spaces, breakout spaces, social features and create an active design. An innovative and healthy active design means thinking about encouraging movement, getting people out of their chairs and around the office, bumping into colleagues to share thoughts and release built up stress. It means creating an environment that stimulates people and responds to who they are.
Something Big 06Effective break-out areas are an ideal way to achieve this. Not only do they provide the right environment for your works to relax away from their desks but it has also been found that meetings conducted in a more informal environment are more productive for brainstorming and idea generation.
Changing your workplace with new offices or refurbishment projects, will encourage new ways of working. Embracing this early will not only benefit your company in the long run financially but also ensure you have a healthy, happy workforce.
