âVibrant cities have various zones – for play, concentration, collaboration, socialisation, and creativity. Every great workspace should, as well.â Kevin Kuske, General Manager for Turnstone.
Designing workspaces with different personality types in mind can be immensely valuable for your organisation. Think of your office design as an extension of your culture and brand. This will build trust and create bonds, in turn inspiring innovation and creativity in the office. In a study by Craig Knight, Director of the Identity Realization Workplace Consultancy, revealed that workers given the opportunity to arrange a small office were up to 32% more productive than others not given this control. However, an effective workspace isnât solely based on giving employees freedom with designing their own space, there are other important aspects that are often overlooked when designing office workspaces.
Office Lighting Matters
Natural light brings energy into your space but is also easier on the eyes. According to a study by scientist Mirjam Muench, too much artificial light or dim light makes us feel more stressed and less alert by the evening. So, take advantage of large windows that let lots of natural light in and start eliminating fluorescent lights in your office as they can cause migraines.
Other helpful tips in regards to lighting control are:
- Provide employees with LED desk lamps so they can control their own personal lighting;
- Install light controlling switches that allow employees to adjust the lighting to their own personal preference; and
- Encourage mobility – Propose working outside to those employees who do not have natural light in their workspace (if feasible)
Colour
Different colours have different psychological effects, so keep that in mind when picking out the colours for your office. For instance, research has shown that both blue and green enhance performance on tasks that require innovation. While the colour red has been linked to remarkable performance on tasks involving accuracy and attention to detail. According to Kuske, office spaces that have all white and gray colours can have negative health effects and impact stress levels. Therefore, depending on the atmosphere you would like to create for your employees, whether it be to impact energy levels, promote efficiency, or boost focus and well-being, a simple colour transformation will do the trick.
Office Furniture
Think beyond the desk – one of the elements of physical and creative well-being is movement. Our bodies werenât designed to sit in a 90 degree posture all day. So, make your workspace effective by simply mixing up spaces and postures. For instance, create work areas that allow for standing as well as sitting, or even have sofas for group meetings. According to the British Psychological Society, rounded furniture was seen as more aesthetically pleasing and inviting than straight-edged rectangular furniture. The study also revealed that rounded spaces triggered more activity in the brain regions associated with reward and aesthetic appreciation. The shape of furniture even influences the ways we arrange it. Sitting in circles provokes a collective mindset, whereas sitting in straight lines triggers feelings of individuality.
Lastly, we canât forget about the actual office furniture itself. Thatâs right, your chair and your desk are vital in providing a healthy work environment and increasing productivity. Ergonomic furniture helps with posture and promotes flexibility and movement. Ergonomic office furniture is an asset to have in the work environment, after all, a healthy and comfortable employee is a productive employee.
