Having a productive workforce is one of the essentials of running a successful business. If you want your staff to be as productive as possible, you have to treat them well. While some business owners try to motivate their workers but pushing them as hard as possible, it can backfire. It often leads to low staff retention and dissatisfaction among employees. Taking a kinder approach, and hiring the right people, is the way to go. Creating a comfortable workplace is one major factor in encouraging productivity. You first need to meet your employees’ basic needs before providing for them in other ways.
Get the Temperature Right
The temperature in a workplace can make a significant difference to everyone’s productivity. It can be extremely hard to think properly if you’re too cold or too hot. However, getting the temperature right can be difficult. The one thing you do know is that it shouldn’t be freezing in the winter or boiling in the summer. It’s essential to arrange central heating repair as soon as it’s needed. Otherwise, you may have everyone sitting in the cold, or you might need to send them home. Air conditioning or fans can help in the summer too. Having a relaxed dress code can help everyone to find their personal level of comfort.
Provide Comfortable Working Spaces
Sitting at a desk all day is required of a lot of workers. However, it can have a range of effects on their health. Sitting down and leaning over a desk could damage people’s backs. They can also experience wrist injuries from typing, eye strain, and other problems. Think about how you can make workspaces more comfortable. Some offices now have standing or adjustable desks. This helps employees by allowing them to spend time standing up instead of sitting down all day. You can provide wrist rests to help take the strain off typing and comfortable desk chairs too.
Balance Lights and Noise
Light and sound can affect productivity in an office. One thing you should try to avoid is too much artificial lighting. Of course, it isn’t always easy to rely on natural light. On a dreary day, you may have to turn all the lights on. However, you can choose soft and warm lights over glaring, bright ones. Managing noise is important too, both from inside and outside the office. Some people work better in silence, while others like music or other sounds. You could consider providing different zones with different noise levels.
Create Rest Areas
Everyone needs to relax at some point during the day. To encourage your staff to move away from their desks, provide break areas where they can have lunch or socialise. Being able to move away from their work helps people to refresh properly. You might have a kitchen area, sofas or even fun things to do like video games or a pool table.
Making your staff comfortable at work is the least you should be doing if you want them to be productive. Pay attention to their needs and ask them how you can improve the workplace.
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