The Essential Elements of an Ideal Workspace

Have you ever tried working huddled up on the couch, watching TV? If you have, then you probably know It’s really, really difficult. It’s because your surroundings play a huge role in affecting your productivity. If you want to encourage positive workspaces for your team, start by investing in a modular workstation.

Studies have shown that it’s not just your workspace that affects your output but what’s around it, too. Your space should work for you. In other words, it should be designed according to your needs and working style.

Setting up your workstation for you also means adjusting your desk height, creating distance between you and the computer screen, and choosing colours that bring you good vibes.

Creating A Productive, Ergonomic Workspace

Let’s go through a few of the effective ways that help you ‘customise’ your workspace to your comfort that also helps boost your productivity.

1. Sound, Sun & Lighting

Some people can feed off the white noise in a café, others can’t stand it. The first thing you should encourage your team to do is to check noise levels, glare and lighting at their workstation. Situate all workstations close to big, open windows if possible. Light can naturally influence our moods, energy, and attentiveness. Provide ample lighting to all areas of your room. If you have natural light, complement it with a lighting scheme that isn’t too overbearing.  

Adding a few simple products into your office space such as anti-glare screens and partitions can overcome issues with lighting and sound. The simple steps could include installing sound-absorbing panels in the rooms where noise occurs. Your team can mutually agree upon a playlist to keep energy high in a communal workspace, or you may have to invest in quality headphones. Whatever tips work for you, it’s always good to pay attention to the office sound environment to smooth out your whole workday.

2. Strategically Introduce Smells

Add a diffuser that emits inspiring scents to help uplift your team’s mood and motivate them. A good smell can help a great deal to stay mentally fresh and keep your office feeling like it’s summer, year-round. Peppermint essential oils can give you great results. So don’t hesitate to try one of those. Keep the entire space free from clutter to reiterate this calm ambience.

3. Watch The Posture

Using ergonomic computer gear or even standing desks will help maintain good health, but it’s only a small part of the huge discipline. Encourage your team to pay close attention to how they’re sitting or standing. Introduce frequent breaks in between the regular work-routine and encourage your employees to move and stretch. Why not take five minutes off every hour to roll back the shoulders and strengthen the core.

4. The Desk, Chair & Keyboard

Having a good comfortable chair will give you the support your body needs. Slouching on the couch will be bad for your neck and back, and the design won’t support work efficiency.

Teach these good workstation principles to your team. When they type, their arms and hands should be roughly parallel to the floor with feet flat and legs nestled comfortably under the desk. For the chair, make use of the lumbar support, height, armrests, and the recline. Keep their monitor or laptop screens between 50-100 cm from their faces. This is the sweet spot to avoid eyesight problems or stretching. 

5. Smart Arrangements And Task-Specific Workstations

Many offices are set up by giving little to no focus on how work is performed in the space. The office space should be functioning to serve the people in your office and how they work. It’s worth doing some brainstorming to figure out ways to streamline the layout of your office to increase the productivity of the office. 

Try setting up different stations from your space for individual tasks. This works well for business if everyone does similar things all day. When office space is separated for only achieving specific tasks, then employee engagement and efficiency will increase.

6. Maintain A Comfortable Temperature

Temperature is an essential factor that can affect an employee’s mood. If you work in a flexible space, having cooler and warmer areas throughout the office would accommodate different body types and temperature preferences. You can feel comfortable when you’re putting your brain to work without worrying about your body, so place your workstation in a nice environment. Wear comfy clothes to adjust to the temperature.

Focus, Collaborate, Learn And Socialise

For employees to thrive, there are four things to keep in mind. Create opportunities to give your team multiple ways of doing their work. The modern office environment is progressive and multi-dimensional. It includes cubicles to focus, a ‘central hub’ to collaborate, conference and meeting rooms to learn, and open spaces to socialise.

The most innovative companies are moving away from a single floor plan and towards multiple plans. Consider introducing these things into your office if you haven’t already:

A collaborative workspace: Build a sense of community and unity by having a dedicated collaborative area. All the different departments can relax, hang out, and get to know each other. The more connected your team is, the better is the outcome.

A ‘mobility’ area:  More companies are embracing freelancers and contractors. Allow independent workers and part-timers to drop in and get work done.

Sustainable products: Encourage sustainability in the office by using local products and having a recycling procedure. Non-toxic environments should be a focus for every one of us.

Good design: The layout is the core element of any design and influences all workspace elements. The layout should accommodate the size of your current team and account for the team’s growth rate. Spend time exploring your office furniture needs by focusing on the requirements of your team. Consider space planning, colour, textures, and lighting.

Flexibility: It’s always better to have a more flexible space. As office spaces are getting smaller, creative thinking is critical. Can your meeting room be twice as big as your conference and educational space? Don’t be afraid to ‘make your own rules’ when it comes to designing your ideal office. It’s got to work for you and your team, after all.

Ergonomic Consideration: Employee productivity can last as far as their physical body can carry them. After a long workday, muscles in the neck and back start to ache and can even cause headaches. Invest a little time and money to ensure that desks and computer screens are at appropriate heights and have good ergonomic chairs to support comfortable seating. It is a good idea to have some work stations set up to be worked while standing to give your employees the option to switch it up when they need it.