10 Tips For Creating a Productive Work Environment for Your Employees

Every business leader knows that when your employees are happy and have all the tools they need, they will be more productive. Here are our top 10 tips on how to create a productive work environment that’ll increase staff productivity tenfold.

Do you run a business and find it difficult to keep your employees happy?

A happy and productive staff can only happen if your employees are getting what they need while at the office. It’s important to show the people who work for you that you value them in order to get their best performance and avoid the frequent turnover.

Read on for some helpful tips to create a productive work environment for your staff.

Create a Space for Rest

You may be asking yourself, “How can a resting space make this company more productive?”

But allowing employees to take a quick rest in a quiet, peaceful space when they need to throughout the day will keep them going and prevent burnout.

Many corporations like NASA and Google have designated sleep pods where their staff can head in and take an uninterrupted rest from the workday. These spaces can be very expensive but there’s an affordable way to create a similar space in your existing office.

Convert an unused office or tucked away common area into a respite for your employees. You can put in a reclining chair, a cot, or a sectional sofa, depending on the space. Keep the space dimly light and away from the buzzing and ringing of the rest of the office.

You can limit use to 20-30 minutes per employee. Studies find that when people take a quick power nap in the day, it can recharge them, making them more alert and focused, therefore, more productive.

Bring the Outdoors In

While people may love their job, they likely don’t enjoy the notion of spending five days a week indoors and away from nature and the outside world. Four walls and fluorescent lighting can become tiresome and your staff may be aching for a refreshing lift in the office.

You can accomplish this by simply bringing in some greenery and flowers. Urge your employees to bring in a plant to keep and care for at their desk and you can also fill the rest of the space in strategically with indoor plants and trees. There are even companies who you can lease live greenery from and they’ll customize and care for the plants in your space for just a small monthly fee.

You can make it the job of the office manager or assistant to make sure there are fresh flowers in the office as well. A colorful bouquet can brighten up the space and make your staff feel more connected to the outdoors. They’ll be less itchy to leave the office and feel calmer and more comfortable while working indoors.

Invest in a Standing Desk

Since we’re spending long hours working and more time in front of a screen than ever before, neck and back pain is on the rise among those who work in an office environment. Help your staff out by giving them the option to have a standing desk.

You can purchase a regular desk with a standing option; so they can adjust it as needed and sit when they want to for more intense projects. Being on their feet and able to move around even a little more can help morale and keep them from feeling tired, hunched over a desk and in pain throughout the day.

If you can’t make the investment for all of your employee’s, consider purchasing one or two and allowing your staff to use the desk in shifts. This way, not only do they get the opportunity to stand while working, they also get a scenery change by moving to a new workstation.

Collaboration Corner

Do you have all the important meetings in a big conference room with the long table and swivel chairs? If so, consider creating a collaborative space where staff can congregate and work on projects in a more relaxed and laid back atmosphere.

Conference rooms are stuffy as it is, so the chance to mix up where the meeting is taking place and allowing them to work in a space that feels more like their living room will increase productivity because they won’t be wishing for the meeting to end.

You can close off an open area of the office, put comfortable chairs or even a sofa in the space and consider painting one wall with dry erase paint so people can take notes and give presentations while they work there. You can also add a screen to the space so employees can project anything on their computer they need to show the group.

What Are the Perks?

They don’t have to be major or expensive but pick a few things you’d like to offer your staff that isn’t just part of their salary and benefits. This could be anything from a high-end coffee machine they can look forward to every morning to a once monthly catered lunch on the company.

These little things add up and help keep staff in a good mood and prevent a lot of turnovers.

Your employees want something to look forward to and to feel rewarded, even in a small way, for their consistent hard work. A small perk shows them they are valued and their happiness in the office is of importance.

Let in the Light

We have some nature in the space now, but what about a little natural light? Spending the day under fluorescent lighting can become exhausting. It hurts the eyes and makes people feel like they’ve been in a hospital all day.

Do your best to allow natural light into the space. If you have shades, lift them up, allow the desks to face toward windows and even consider buying a few desk lamps with softer lighting and turning off the overhead fluorescents off for part of the day.

Stock the Snacks

Sometimes a little treat is all someone needs to get another burst of energy and continue an already productive day. Keep the fridge and cupboard stocked with healthy, and maybe a few not so healthy, snacks so your employees have something to nibble on when they hit a slump.

Having something at their fingertips will also keep them from needing to leave the office mid-day to go grab a bite when they get hungry, thereby allowing them to spend more time working.

They’ll be grateful there is food around and it will keep them focused and recharged.

Socializing Is Okay

If the nature of your company doesn’t require a certain amount of collaboration amongst employees space can turn into a talk-free zone. Your staff may think it’s frowned upon to socialize with one another for fear of being caught discussing something other than work.

While you don’t want to create a coffee shop conversation type of atmosphere, let your staff know that it’s okay to take a break and chat with a coworker. It relaxes the mood of the office and giving people the okay to socialize for a few minutes a few times a day lets them take a mental break from work and connect with something other than their computer screen.

Have a Monthly Out-Of-Office Activity

Everyone once in a while, it can be a huge morale booster to take the company out of the office or even treat them to a fun activity right inside if you have too many employees to wrangle to a second location.

Take them bowling or to a fun dinner once a month or quarterly. If you opt to stay in the office, try doing a movie screening by setting up the projector, popping popcorn and closing the office an hour or so early to allow for the time spent.

Celebrate the Small Stuff

It’s important to acknowledge and appreciate your staff whenever possible. People work harder when they know their work is valued and that they are important to the growth and success of the company.

If a staff member has a birthday, celebrate it. Bring in cupcakes or treats and take a fifteen-minute break to celebrate. If an employee closes a deal or secures a big account, congratulate them by throwing a mini celebration.

They will appreciate the support and the acknowledgment will encourage others to work as hard to reap the same reward.

Create a More Productive Work Environment Today

Now that you know the ten easiest ways to create a more productive work environment, why not try incorporating some of them into your office now?

Your employees will appreciate the attention and the perks of working for you and feel encouraged and motivated to perform at their best.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us and be sure to check out the rest of our blog for more business tips.