For many years, boosting employee engagement was viewed as an important, yet not essential objective; at least not as far as increasing productivity, profitability and the bottom-line was concerned.
This is not to suggest that employers in the main are, or have been, uncaring and unsupportive; because that is certainly not the case. Indeed, there are countless examples of employers going the extra mile – or sometimes, a whole marathon! – to accommodate and help employees.
However, recent research by credible organizations such as Gallup have verified beyond any doubt what has been known, informally and anecdotally, for decades: engaged employees are simply more productive and profitable than their disengaged counterparts.
In addition, and rather surprisingly, engaged employees are even MORE valuable during tough economic times and recessions. They work harder, stay longer, care more, and ultimately help their organization emerge stronger and faster than competitors who may have better solutions, a bigger marketplace footprint and more working capital, but alas do not have that critical piece of the puzzle – i.e. employee engagement.
With the above in mind, here are 3 office design tips that will help you boost employee engagement, which not only boosts morale and lowers stress, but has a significantly positive impact on the bottom-line:
1. Use an Open Office Layout to Get Employees Moving
The observation that “sitting is the new smoking” is not an exaggeration. Several ergonomic studies have highlighted that sitting for long, uninterrupted periods can be detrimental to both physical and mental health. Implementing a layout that encourages or requires that employees periodically get up and move around can significantly improve energy levels and morale, while at the same time boost collaboration, knowledge sharing and performance at an individual and team level.
2. Improve Climate Control
For many employees, the number one complaint they have is not about salary, benefits, demanding customers or even disagreeable colleagues: it is that their work area is either freezing or boiling; or sometimes both at various times during the day. Office design that takes into consideration air flow and employee configurations (e.g. not working next to uninsulated warehouse walls, etc.) can go a long way towards improving comfort — and ultimately, increasing performance and productivity.
3. Improve Lighting
Psychology Today has found that exposure to more natural light helps improve workplace performance. As such, an office design with windows and skylights can be very cost effective way to improve output (just ensure that the proper wall/window coverings are installed as well, so that employee are not blinded or sunburned!).
Learn More
To learn more office design tips that boost employee engagement and the bottom-line, contact the Key Interiors team today. Your consultation with us is free.
For more information on office design and to determine if an open and collaborative approach is right for your office, download our FREE eBook:
{{cta(‘6e7c4d88-eb76-4ed9-a6e1-b7c61d98ca99’)}}
