Keep coffee and other refreshments on hand for a happier, more productive office.
This post is sponsored by London Offices, offering handpicked, premier office space in London’s business hub.
From natural light to strong coffee, small tweaks and changes to the way your office is run can have huge positive effects on productivity, happiness, and output. Thanks to the office experts at London Offices, who have prepared these seven helpful, actionable tips for running a happy, healthy, and highly productive office environment.
Keep coffee and other refreshments nearby
While coffee isn’t essential for workplace success, it’s definitely helpful. Instead of making employees walk to the nearest coffee shop or survive on tasteless instant coffee in the break room, install an espresso or filter coffee machine in the office.
Having coffee and other refreshments easily available will increase productivity in your office and keep your employees focused and satisfied.
Use natural light instead of artificial lighting
Natural light has hundreds of benefits, ranging from immune system improvements to increased workplace productivity. Instead of relying on artificial lighting in your office, invest in skylights and other natural daylighting systems.
Swiss researcher Mirjam Münch has spent years investigating the effects of natural light on human beings. Her research indicates that exposure to natural light in the office leads to increased output, better productivity, and happier employees.
Let employees take short, efficient breaks
The Pomodoro productivity technique is one of the most effective and useful tactics for modern office workers. Its theory is simple: workers should divide each hour in four – two 25-minute sections are separated by two five-minute breaks.
This simple productivity technique has proven benefits, one of which is preventing office “burn out” and improving employee alertness. Instead of focusing on constant productivity, let your employees use Pomodoro or another productivity technique.
It’s all about location, location, location
A convenient location can have a huge effect on your workforce’s happiness. Try to keep your office as close as possible to major public transport lines in order to keep commute times as short and convenient as possible.
Don’t forget to cc your colleagues
Being left out of the loop is never fun. Whenever you have an important memo or notice to send out to your employees, remember to cc your colleagues to prevent them from feeling left out of office activities. Of course, exercise good judgement with this tactic – don’t cc people
Don’t interfere with breaks and lunches
When a big project is due or a major customer is demanding something extra, it can be tempting to cancel break time and bury your head in your workstation. Spending time away from work, however, is just as important for output as spending time at work.
Keep a simple break schedule that gives your employees – and yourself – time to get a moment’s rest and refocus on their daily schedule. Allowing frequent, short breaks is actually one of the best ways to keep productivity and morale high.
Remember that every process is flexible
Does your business use rigid, standardized processes for almost everything? One of the best ways to improve productivity and increase morale in your office is to allow employees to provide helpful feedback on common processes.
From email policy to sales tactics, let your employees voice their thoughts on how to operate your office and you’ll quickly discover new ways to streamline many of your business processes and improve output.
Productivity in the workplace is derived from many sources, from external “perks” such as coffee to flexible business processes. Use these seven tips to gauge if you are doing what you can to help create a happy, productive office environment.
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Article source:Jennifer Miller - 7 Tips for a Happy Office»
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