When it comes to the best business blueprints, one of the most important factors often gets swept under the rug.
You can have a solid marketing strategy in place, a product that has more than enough demand to back it and the employees to keep everything up and running, but if you don’t provide an adequate work environment for yourself and those under you, it will most definitely reflect on the company as a whole.
A comfortable workspace has a direct effect on the quality of performance, but if you don’t believe me, here are a few facts to convince you otherwise.
Statistics show that 77% of businesses experience an increase in staff morale just by playing music in the office!
Now, my goal isn’t to motivate you to install a new speaker system in the workplace and start blaring tunes throughout all hours of the day, but I am here to tell you that even the slightest alterations to the work environment you’ve grown accustomed to can have the biggest impacts on your business.
Sure, breaking the silence can take the edge off and sometimes get the gears turning; however, improving the office space goes far beyond streaming music.
Picture yourself seated at a desk on the side of a highway…
I know this is an extreme, but do you believe this qualifies as an acceptable work environment for maintaining a steady train of thought?
Maybe this wouldn’t be an issue for you, but for the majority people, almost every car zooming by or sound of a semi horn would throw them off. Not to mention the chaos that would ensue once 5:00 traffic rolled around.
My point is that a relaxed office space is proven to affect company culture. Either way, why should you care?
Obviously, you care about your employees and want to provide a work setting that they’re happy to surround themselves in, but most bosses don’t realize that doing so boosts overall productivity as well.
Yes, you can effectively accomplish more at the office on a day-to-day basis just by creating an environment that stimulates positive energy.
On the contrary, studies show that workers who aren’t given a comfortable workspace make 60% more errors than those who are and are also prone to a 37% higher absenteeism rate.
Does this really come as a surprise though?
Sitting alone, staring at the blank walls of a cubicle is a recipe for disengaged employees. If you really want workers who are motivated and willing to go the extra mile, then create a workplace they look forward to coming into.
An office where morale is nonexistent can cause the culture to atrophy, leaving your employee’s batteries drained as well as their ability to stay resilient and positive.
Avoid losing this positive energy at all costs!
And if you believe this is absent from the current environment that you’ve provided to your workers, then it’s time to introduce a new vibe to the office.
It’s simple. Being able to relax without the interference of common irritants allows your employees to go about their job in a more productive way.
In fact, it’s proven that anxiety and depression are often linked to work.
Considering each of these factors can weigh down the efficiency of your business, why not make an effort to reduce them?
Just know that even the slightest changes to office surroundings can effect a person’s personality and you’ll find that when people are in a calm, more open environment they tend to be happier.
As you can see, making an effort to provide a more homey work environment is a great tactic for improving the functionality of your business and the overall attitude of your workers.