Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Office Interiors: Building A Motivational Environment

By Stan Feress

For many, offices are just boring places to work. They're designed to be functional, in most cases, nothing more, so they are done in plain colors and the main focus is on work. However, what many businesses are discovering is that the office environment really does have an impact on the productivity of people. Make sure your office is an area that will motivate people to work hard. Office interiors should be designed to help employees stay on track and keep them happy.

One of the first things to consider is the furniture. It should be functional, but comfortable. Employees who are not comfortable will be constantly getting up to go to the bathroom or get water just to stretch and get out the kinks. While comfy furniture costs a bit more, it will actually go right into 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 If your computers are years out of date, no one is going to be terribly motivated to use them.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.

For many companies, it's useful to create a positive environment. Hang motivational photos on the wall, make someone employee of the month and feature them. Create positivity and it will come back to you.

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.

The vast majority of office interiors are as great as they could be. Often, it's just a few simple changes that could be made to really change things up. Color will really add something, as will letting employees to put up their own decor. Making sure they are comfortable is also a good way to make an office a better place.

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