Everyone knows that productivity is the very essence of any business, but there are many factors that actually contribute to a productive office environment. A carefully devised workspace is the backbone of every successful company, and this is why we’ve come up with a list of factors that are the most crucial when it comes to office productivity.
Plants
There is a reason why you’ll see a lot of plants in offices of successful businesses – human beings tend to prefer being surrounded by nature. A relaxed and focused atmosphere is exactly what office plant life brings to the table, even more so when it comes to metropolitan office spaces; your employees will crave exposure to a natural environment. In fact, employees working in offices with natural elements have actually reported instances of higher well-being.
Think about it – there is a reason why many people find the color green calming and mood-boosting.
Air quality
Plants are extremely important for another reason: they provide the room with more oxygen and an oxygen-rich space boosts energy levels – a key factor in achieving high levels of productivity.
While the importance of nurturing in-office plant life is huge, there are more ways of boosting the air quality. First, checking the office A/Cs is hugely important because improperly working air conditioning systems can lead to health issues in employees, which is something you definitely want to avoid for a number of reasons. Secondly, introducing air filters is another smart thing to do – they tend to work miracles for small office spaces.
The correlation between air quality and high productivity is evident – our brains need oxygen and the more quality air a person gets, the more efficient and productive they will be.
Natural light
Your plants won’t be able to survive without natural light, but neither will your team’s productivity.
Sunlight and artificial fixtures cannot even begin to compare, so finding a way to let as much natural light as possible into an office space is of absolute essence. Unfortunately, there’s always a chance that your office will be on the dark side of the building, and there is really not much that you can do here – you can try installing some wall windows, or skylights if your office is at the top floor of the building.
Essentially, the more sunlight you supply your workspace with, the more productive of an environment you will be nurturing. You can also consider a shared office space in Sydney that will land you a top-of-the-line location with no neighboring buildings between you and the sun, while at the same time providing you with fantastic views of the Supreme Court and Hyde Park!
Artificial lighting
Sunlight is by far the best way to go in terms of lighting, but sometimes one has to settle for artificial lighting fixtures, as your employees will have to work nights from time to time. This is somewhat unfortunate for the environment, your pocket and productivity, but there are ways to alleviate each of the three mentioned problems. LED lights are a perfect solution here, given that they spend less energy and pay off in the long run, while offering light that is as close to sunlight as artificial fixtures can get. Alternatively, CFLs are definitely the next best way to go, but while cheaper, these are significantly less efficient than LEDs.
No matter what your job description entails, be it working in front of a computer screen or writing stuff down, lighting always matters. Therefore, utilize as much sunlight as you can and exercise smart alternatives where natural light can’t help.
These four factors are hugely important in terms of office productivity. Regardless of how trivial some of them may seem, this is the exact reason why they are often underestimated and neglected. Don’t make that mistake, and keep the abovementioned in mind if you are aiming for a healthy and productive working environment.