If you require your staff to work in office, you’re going to have to provide them with an office to work in. This is pretty logical. But all too many business owners fail to put sufficient thought into creating an office that’s suitable for their staff to work in. many will find the first space that becomes available, pick up some office basics like desks and chairs and set everyone to work. But to make sure that your team are as productive as possible, as well as making your office look and feel like a professional space for any visiting partners and clients to see, you’re going to have to put time, money and effort into creating a suitable office space that will meet everyone’s needs and requirements. Here are some steps that you can take to achieve this.
Location
Let’s start out by considering location. There are plenty of commercial premises out there that you can rent, but not all of them are created equal. You need to put some thought into different elements of the different properties and spaces available in order to create the perfect working environment. Start by considering accessibility. You need your office to be easily accessible in order to bring in the best candidates. Sure, you could save money by renting an office in the middle of nowhere, but if it isn’t accessible by public transport, or if people have to drive really out of their way to get there everyday, you’re going to find yourself experiencing recruitment and staff retention issues. You should also try to make sure that your office space has parking, so that people who drive in have somewhere to park free of cost. Make sure to consider accessibility in terms of building access too. You need to make sure that everyone can easily get in and around your office space. Sometimes, this may mean making modifications, such as adding ramps.
Lighting
Try to choose a premises that has plenty of natural lighting. Natural light doesn’t just make your office look nicer. It also helps with your team’s producitvity. Believe it or not, natural light regulates the circadian rhythms in your body. When it’s light out, our bodies know it’s time to perk up and become activitiy, increasing productivity. A lack of natural light encourages our body to wind down and get ready to sleep. Bright and airy spaces really can encourage more effort from your team.
Office Furniture
It’s important to look into the furniture that you buy for your office. Don’t buy the first set of desks and chairs you find, or the cheapest that you can possibly find. You need to consider your team’s health and safety, as well as their comfort, while they’re working for you. You should invest in ergonomically designed furniture, which has been specially created to properly support the body and prevent issues such as repetitive strain injury. Browse Brosa’s range of desks to get started. Invest in good quality spinny chairs with proper back support and that can be adjusted to a range of heights. Also invest in foot rests, back supports, ergonomic mice and keyboards and more. This will serve to give your staff the support they need while they work.
Temperature Regulation
You should be able to control the temperature in your office space, as this will allow your team to settle on a comfortable working temperature to operate in. This means fitting air conditioning units and having quality heating options. Make sure that have these checked and cleaned regularly to maintain their operations.
Break Space
Your team need to take breaks from their desks at regular intervals throughout the day. Whether that’s for their lunch break or regular tea breaks. This is good for productivity and can help to promote happiness in the workplace. It does, however, also mean that you need to create communal, social spaces where people can take a break comfortably. Most people look for some sort of kitchen space, with kettles, coffee machines, microwaves and comfortable seating. You could also look for office spaces with dedicated social or break rooms for your team to relax in.
Cleaning
Offices can get dirty pretty quickly. This goes for any space where lots of people spend time on a regular basis. You need to make sure that your office is clean and well maintained at all times. Encoruage your team to practice basic hygiene and to clean up things like coffee cups and lunch rubbish after themselves. Then bring in professional cleaners to clean the space properly at the end of each day. This can involve tasks like wiping down desks, cleaning the kitchen sink, cleaning the toilets and more.
These simple steps will all work towards creating a great office space and a positive working environment for your team. Implement them as soon as possible to get the ball rolling in the right direction!
