Those who have worked in offices throughout their careers will be able to sympathise with what makes a great office and what can make one so bad it may well drive you to quit. If you have ever seen the offices of major technology companies, then it quickly becomes evident what a world away your office is and what makes those offices great is the design. Now, while installing a slide between floors does not seem wholly practical, it’s benefit for those workers is to help reduce stress and to help them to be in the optimum mental and physical condition when it comes to completing work. It’s unlikely that we will all be installing slides into our offices over the next few years, although it has set a premise which all of our office designs can be built around.
While some of these offices look complex in design, the concepts that they draw from are relatively simple. The ultimate goal is to create conditions which are comfortable and calming for staff and providing them with space which is free from distractions and allows them to completely concentrate on the task at hand. So even if your office space is fairly compact, there are a variety of techniques available to help keep noise levels down and keep your employee’s satisfaction up.
Nurture an Environment Which Helps Employees to Focus:
Open offices are great in theory as they act like melting pots for ideas, where staff can interact and collaborate throughout the working day. However, when deadlines approach and stress levels begin to rise, there is nothing worse than being surrounded by colleagues shouting down phones and drama taking place in every different direction. The solution for this is to create a space which provides privacy for employees and this means targeting both visual and audible distractions. This can be achieved through the arrangement of the space, opting to separate areas so everyone is not facing each other. An interesting alternative however is to add office screens between desks.
These are available in a variety of designs, such as with acoustic foam, glazed panels or a pinnable screen, which means they are able to adapt to a variety of different environments. At Rap Industries, we design and manufacture a variety of office screens, including our Delta Cloud Acoustic Screens as well as the more professional Morton Office Screens. Each feature different designs which can introduce more privacy where required.
Natural Light is Crucial:
Studies have revealed the medical benefits of being exposed to natural sunlight, not least because it is our main source of vitamin D. But when you consider that many employees work in offices for at least 7-8 hours every day, then it can do much more than have a physical impact. Being trapped inside an office all day can have a mental impact, especially when you are seeing exactly the same surroundings five days a week. It can also hinder staff when they get home too. A lack of natural sunlight can cause sleep disturbances and further difficulties when it is time to rest, which can lead to a whole array of further problems due to a lack of sleep. Quite simply, sleep and rest are crucial for keeping a workforce motivated.
Think Vertical:
If your office is looking quite cramped, and this is definitely a problem faced more often by small businesses, it can really begin to feel like the walls are closing in around you. Fortunately, thanks to advances in technology, most of your data can be stored in that fancy box called a computer, meaning that filing cabinets are finally leaving the office. However, if space is still restricted, there is a way to get around it. The trick is to think vertically – introduce shelving to house files and folders. Clutter is an issue not only on your desk but also in your mind, so endeavour to keep things neat, tidy and organised in order to keep your staff’s focus on the task at hand.
If you would like to learn more about how office screens can help to improve your office space, then please feel free to give our team of advisors a call on 01733 394941 or send an e-mail to sales@rapind.com.
