The office environment affects employees in profound ways you sometimes overlook. It can either boost or dampen their morale. It can either encourage collaboration or ruin it. It can even predict their health, making them more productive or getting them sick. The latter is what business owners often overlook—but the one you can’t afford to neglect.
There’s a lot at stake when your employees get sick and drop from their job for days. Their health is your business, so prioritise creating a healthy environment in your next office renovation. Here are tips to remember.
Promote movement breaks
Sitting long hours in front of desks makes one vulnerable to poor circulation, inflammation and dysfunction of the blood vessels. Over time, this could result in cardiovascular disease, obesity and sometimes, cancer. To avoid this, provide avenues for workers to take a break from sitting.
Standing desk stations are one. If possible, assign also an exercise room. It doesn’t have to be a full-on gym. Foam rollers, jump ropes, yoga mats and a few dumbbells would make for a good space already. Encourage employees to use the exercise room during lunch breaks or after meeting sessions.
Getting workers to move around will not just avoid health problems, reducing absenteeism, but also make them more energised and ready for work demands. So keep this at the top of your priorities for the next refurbishment of your Melbourne office. Fitout specialists can help you with this.
Consider biophilic design
Biophilic design is the use of nature’s key elements in your space. There’s a theory that interaction with nature improves well-being, as it offers relaxation and boosts moods. So consider incorporating biophilic design in your space.
Start by letting in readjusting your office’s layout to let in more natural light. Exposure to daylight reduces fatigue and mental strain, making your employees more productive. It also relieves negative moods and puts people in high spirits.
Aside from natural light, let in fresh air into your space as well. A lot of Melbourne offices today have roof gardens, where workers can take a break and breathe in fresh air. Of course, don’t neglect including plant elements in your space. Plants improve indoor air quality and at the same time, offer visual rest for employees.
Get organised
Clutter can affect your employees’ health as well. It creates unnecessary mental stress, given the misplaced documents or lost information. Plus, piles of paper collect dust, which spells trouble for employees who have asthma or allergies. Of course, scheduled cleaning is crucial. That’s a given already. But prevention is better than cure.
And your interiors matter in prevention. Adjust your office design in such a way that it would reduce the likelihood of clutter in your employees’ desks. For instance, reconfigure your layout that it would lessen travel time to storage rooms. Use soothing colours, like green and blue, in those areas to curb stress.
Remember, your office environment can make or break your employees’ well-being, which would inevitably affect their productivity and your bottom line. So keep your workers healthy by providing a healthy office environment.