All good businesses know that happy employees are much more productive, loyal and motivated. There’s even been several studies carried out which have revealed happy workers can be as much as 12% more productive. However, what you may not know, is exactly what makes an employee happy.
You might assume it would be their salary, but the truth is, it’s actually the office environment which can make the biggest difference. Here, you’ll discover how a good office can lead to a happy workplace and better output.
Reducing stress and fatigue
A good office layout and environment can really help to reduce levels of stress and fatigue. There’s been several studies carried out in recent years, which have revealed the significant impact a poor work environment can have on employee’s mental health. One report, carried out by CMI Workplace, discovered a good, strong designed office can make employees up to 33% happier.
So what design elements should you be focusing on to reduce stress and fatigue? According to studies, you’ll want to add plants into the workplace, as well as great lighting. Plants don’t just make the workplace look nicer, they also improve air quality, reducing fatigue. Fluorescent lighting should also be replaced with LED lighting.
Improving efficiency
If the workplace is designed well, it can really boost efficiency. Your employees will find it easier to carry out their daily tasks and more importantly, they’ll be much more motivated to work well. This will really help to boost output.
If your current office space isn’t really working, it could prove cheaper and make more sense to relocate. You could even consider moving to serviced offices as they tend to come with high-tech equipment, they’re in ideal locations and in the long-term they could even save you money.
It improves collaboration
Finally, if the workplace is designed correctly, it enables your workers to collaborate much easier. Open plan offices are particularly useful for today’s businesses and can also help to keep your employees happier. It’s a good idea to actually ask your employees what changes they feel would make them happier in the workplace.
As you can see, the right working environment can play a significant role in the happiness of your employees. Making even just a few small changes could do wonders for your employee’s motivation, productivity and happiness.