Office Interiors: Building A Motivational Environment

By Jason Hetherington

For many, offices are supposed to be dull and boring spots to work. They are often painted in neutral tones and quite drab. The focus is on work, not interior decorating. That being said, office interiors actually affect how productive employees are. You can change things around and make the office more inviting to help stimulate enthusiasm and creativity.

Furniture is vital to an office space. You can get by with just the basics, but it really pays to go with comfortable, good quality items, especially chairs. This is because employees who are uncomfortable are going to be getting up constantly, breaking their concentration and wasting time by hanging out in the bathroom or at the water cooler trying to get out the kinks. Buy nice chairs and you'll see more productivity.

The equipment that is used also has an effect on how people work. If your computers are years out of date, no one is going to be terribly motivated to use them. Keep equipment up to date and running so that your employees can do their jobs properly. This has a major impact on how motivated people are to do their jobs, as well. When things don't work properly, the frustration levels rise and people will feel unsatisfied with their jobs.

Aside from the more technical areas of the office, there are many other factors that impact the way people work. Color is one. Look at changing up the wall colors. Skip the tan, it's so last decade, and look for something a bit more interesting. Green or blue are both great choices and can really liven up an office. Furniture can also be purchased in colors, so set a color theme and enjoy.

Letting employees decorate their own spaces is a great way to go. They can put up photos and motivational items that will help them work harder. It's easier to remember why you're working when you are looking at a photo of your children. This is a good way to help increase productivity and workplace enthusiasm.

Many businesses have found that motivational posters, employee of the week competitions and other positive measures can help keep people happy while at work. Boosting the positivity of the space will result in more work being done and more satisfied workers.

The lights can really affect how people work, too. Insufficient lighting will cause headaches and a general mood drop. Fluorescent lights are particularly bad for this, with their buzzing and flickering. Make sure you provide your employees with great lights, and they will work better. Consider using lamps and task lighting where necessary.

Productivity relies on a number of factors. It's tough to keep them all in mind, but by improving the environment one thing at a time, you'll see a definite improvement.

Office interiors are hardly ever as good as they could be. You can really change things up with some very simple adjustments. Just painting a new color, making sure your employees are comfortable and letting them make their space their own can really boost productivity levels. These are minor changes, but they really do make a big difference in how the business runs.

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