The quality of our environment plays a huge role in how we feel and can have a big impact on our mood, emotions and productivity. Sylvia Garvin presents her top 10 tips on how to turn your average office into an amazing workspace
1. Organise your space
A cluttered desk can reduce productivity. Avoid accumulating piles of paper by working digitally as far as possible. Declutter your desk, free up your mind and get down to business.
2. Smell ‘scentsational’
Our sense of smell is directly linked to the area of the brain where emotions and memories come from. For this reason, scent directly affects our productivity and our feeling of wellbeing. Pleasant smells boost concentration levels and problem solving. Invigorating scents such as grapefruit and citrus fruits help to maintain energy levels. Why not introduce them in your washroom?
3. Get the light right
Simple changes in lighting can affect how we feel. Very bright lighting will encourage staff to feel stimulated and alert, as well as making your space seem brighter. Upgrading old fluorescent bulbs to LEDs will reduce energy and save costs, as well as improving visibility.
4. Add colour
Create a vibrant and upbeat workspace by adding a splash of colour. Warm hues such as red and orange encourage cheerfulness and social interaction, making them perfect for collaborative working and break-out spaces.
5. Enhance the view
Hanging eye-catching artwork in your reception area will help to create a great first impression as well as providing a distraction if visitors are kept waiting.
6. Take a book break
Turn an unused shelf into an office library where colleagues can exchange their books. This is a fun way to promote reading and give used books a new lease of life, as well as generating some lively literary debates around the water cooler. Reading a book during your lunch break will give your eyes a rest from the computer screen too.
7. Make space to relax
A chill-out area creates a friendly working atmosphere that reduces stress. Providing games encourages colleagues to relax and interact during breaks. Why not clad an office wall with blackboard paint to encourage doodling and creative thinking?
8. Use flower power
Brighten your environment with plants and flowers. They don’t just look pretty, plants also clean the air by adding oxygen and removing toxins. Flowers spread a lovely scent, but do take care not to trigger sneezes in any hay fever sufferers.
9. Offer free fruit
Fresh fruit helps employees to get their 5-a-day and also sends the message that staff wellbeing is important. To add variety, why not occasionally offer fresh smoothies? Introducing a communal blender in the kitchen area helps to ensure that no produce goes to waste.
10. Hold a company event
Whether it’s a team-building activity to strengthen relationships between employees, or a social event such as a summer barbecue or Christmas party, taking time out to relax and have fun is a proven mood-booster. Bringing the entire company workforce together in one place is essential for maintaining staff motivation, thereby helping your organisation to continue to flourish.
Sylvia Garvin is the founder of Sejuiced, which specialises in bespoke fresh drinks for corporate meetings and events across the UK and internationally. For further product details visit sejuiced.co.uk
