Research has shown that happier employees are much more likely to be productive employees. One way you can improve employee happiness is by creating a good working environment. A good work environment can significantly affect employee engagement, productivity, and absence levels. But how do you achieve this? Here are some of the things you can do to improve your office working environment:
- Make the Office Environment Comfortable
One of the best pieces of advice we could give you is to make the office environment more comfortable for your employees. This is important because most people spend more time at work than they do at home.
All it takes is a few simple upgrades to make a place feel more relaxing and inviting. For example, you could add some plants into the office, you could provide your employees with a comfortable seating area where they can eat their lunch, or you could install an air conditioning unit to keep them cool during the summer months and warm during the winter months.
While this may sound expensive, making the office environment more comfortable does not have to cost a fortune. For example, you can find affordable refurbished packaged terminal air conditioner units at PTAC Inc. Making the workplace environment more comfortable will mean that workers no longer dread going to a sterile, cold environment.
- Bring in Natural Lighting
Natural lighting not only looks nicer but can also have several health benefits. In fact, many researchers believe that there is a connection between natural light in the workplace and employees’ energy levels and sleep quality.
- Limit Meetings
Research suggests that meetings are the biggest productivity killers. If you want to increase productivity in your business, then instead of holding unnecessary meetings with your team, communicate through email or another method that does not force your employees to stop what they are doing.
- Introduce Wellness Initiatives
If you want to improve your office working environment, then you should consider implementing fun, new initiatives that increase happiness and a sense of well-being. For example, you could bring in fresh fruit each week to help prevent hunger with healthy snacks.
- Be Flexible with Working Hours
Another great way to improve the office working environment is to allow your employees to choose their own working hours. After all, the traditional 9-5 hours are not the most productive or beneficial for everyone. Some people work better later in the day and would benefit from a later start time. Others have family commitments, which they would rather workaround. Where possible, let employees set their own schedules. Not only will this inspire them to work harder, but it will also increase their happiness too.
Daily stresses, information overload, and rigorous deadlines can all put a strain on your employees and result in reduced productivity. Thankfully, improving our working environment does not have to be as difficult, expensive, or time-consuming as you would think. Why not try some of our tips above to make your work environment better for your employees?
