Within every business, it is estimated that employers could lose as many as ten hours per week from each employee due to decreased productivity, distractions or a lack of motivation. When this is scaled up to thousands of employees across multiple locations, it naturally will cost a business considerably. However, productivity can be improved in many instances simply by improving the office itself, with data suggesting that even something as simple as improved ventilation can improve productivity by 16% or more. Creating the right work environment is therefore a low-cost and effective way of improving and maximising productivity; here are how the different factors at play may influence your choice of appropriate office facilities.

The wellbeing of your staff should be one of your top priorities, if only because the effort they put into the work they are doing for your business relies on the state of their health and happiness. Naturally, having easily accessible first aid provisions in the workplace will play a small part in ensuring the wellbeing of your staff – as well as being in line with office regulations. However, the most productive offices are those that seek to provide wellbeing support beyond what regulations require. Whilst not every office will need a break-out room set up with a pool table or comfortable sofas, something as simple as a free supply of biscuits can help employees to feel more relaxed within an otherwise stressful work environment. The more satisfied your staff members are at work, the more likely they will be to dedicate themselves to the task at hand.

When you’re lacking in fluid and feeling dehydrated, it can be almost impossible to work, let alone work effectively! Dehydration can cause headaches, the inability to concentrate, tiredness and even sickness, so it is imperative that you ensure you and your staff remain hydrated and therefore ready to work at all times. While you can’t force your staff to bring bottled water in with them every day or rely on the fact they will definitely make regular trips to the kitchen to fill up their glasses, you can provide water coolers that sit only moments away from their desks. Whether it’s a hot summer or a chilly winter, drinking water regularly can help to increase productivity and focus; when pure, filtered water is only footsteps away, it should be hard to turn down.

The temperature of an office can have a great effect on productivity, as this interesting presentation from Cornell demonstrates. However, in an office environment where strict clothing policies may restrict employees to only changing the ambient temperature, other means of cooling down may prove necessary. While water coolers are essential and will help staff members to keep hydrated and cool, it may also be worth considering introducing a cooling tower or fan, especially if air conditioning is not provided. A cooling tower can help lower the temperature on a hot day, as well as offering a soothing breeze to anyone who might be struggling to focus. Naturally, heating should also be provided for the colder winter months. The right ambient office temperature may vary from country to country depending on acclimatisation, but it’s best to aim for around 22 – 25 degrees Celsius.

Maintaining a good level of hygiene in any office is important in order to prevent the spread of illnesses and disease, and to keep your staff healthy and ready for work. While there is only so much you can do to encourage your staff to wash their hands after visiting the restroom and after they have eaten their lunch, there are other ways to ensure desks and equipment remain germ-free. Providing a hand sanitizer for every desk station is a good way to keep hands (and keyboards) germ free in future, preventing viruses from spreading throughout your workplace.

Keeping your staff satisfied might not be as difficult a task as you think. Apart from over lunch, the majority of staff will only leave their desks for two reasons that are not related to work: to use the toilet, or to get a coffee. Good coffee helps to keep employees focused and alert, but how often do your employees pop to the local coffee shop during work hours, or arrive just in time for work after queuing up for half an hour for an Americano? Providing a high quality coffee maker in the staff room or kitchen will mean they don’t have to leave the building for a caffeine boost, and are thus more likely to spend time at their desks being productive!

At Staples Advantage, we offer a range of facilities and products that will make it easy for you to maximise productivity at work. Choosing the right products to create an efficient and enjoyable workspace for your team doesn’t need to be a challenge, you just need to know where to look. To find out more, call 0844 557 5757 to speak to a dedicated advisor.

March 28th 2014 | Back to Industry Insights