Working Hard or Hardly Working: Simple Office Design Tips

Simple Office Design Tips

Working Hard or Hardly Working:

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American employee (age 25-54) spends about 8.8 hours a day working or

performing work-related activities. That’s over a third of your day!

With so much time spent at the office, investing in good workspace design is more important than ever. Here are some simple design tips to help your small business improve efficiency, productivity, and comfort.

Invest in ergonomic furniture.1

Spending more upfront on ergonomic furniture will save you in the long-term. Good furniture:

Stimulatesproductivity

Reduces the number of sick

days (caused by lower back pain and general discomfort)

Improves worker

satisfaction

Splurge on:

Movable computer

monitor arms

Adjustable desks

Chairs that conform to your shape and

promote good posture

2 Let there be light

Natural light also reduces headaches, migraines, and eye fatigue brought on by looking at a computer screen for hours.

Natural light has an immense impact on mood, health, and productivity. It offers a wider color spectrum, allowing workers to notice finer details and perform basic tasks better.

To increase natural light, considercreating a more open floor plan by:

Investing in community desksinstead of cubicles and more

closed off workstations

Knocking down interior walls

Using glass wallsfor private offices

and conference rooms

Create buzz3

Buzz, or background noise, is created by the various conversations happening all at once. This background noise builds a sense of privacy that encourages everyone to

talk, interact, and come up with new ideas freely, adding more to the buzz.

Open plans also cultivateoffice buzz.

Forget one desk per person4

Create breakout spaces that give workers a change of scenery and a communal area for impromptu meetings. Establishing alternate work spaces also saves you money on desks.

Thanks to wireless technology, workers don’t need to stay chained to a

desk all day.

Keep it clean5

An unkempt office breeds disorganization, saps energy, and reflects poorly on you. Take a few

minutes every day to declutter your stacks of documents, file your folders,

and organize your office debris.

Above all, make sure you have plenty of storage, whether it’s built-in

drawers, wall-mounted shelves, or mobile racks.

Let your employees choose6

It costs you nothing but garners a world of benefits, brightening up your office while giving your employees the opportunity to act more naturally.

Allow workers to bring in:

Photos

PersonalitemsPets

Brand your space7

Set your office apart from the rest with branding that aligns with your business. This includes:

Your logo

A unique color palette

Iconic objects

Company culture

Company

Record

For furniture and professional workspace planning,visit San Diego Office & Modular Design

www.sd-office.comhttp://www.bls.gov/tus/charts/http://mashable.com/2011/08/01/office-design-tipshttp://www.inc.com/ss/jessica-stillman/10-office-design-tips-foster-creativityhttp://www.allbusiness.com/8-office-decorating-tips/15617190.htmlhttp://epiclaunch.com/10-tips-for-setting-up-your-small-business%E2%80%99s-office/

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