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Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Office Interiors: Building A Motivational Environment

By Mal Maninga

For many, offices are just boring places to work. They're designed to be functional, in most cases, nothing more, so they are done in plain colors and the main focus is on work. However, what many businesses are discovering is that the office environment really does have an impact on the productivity of people. Make sure your office is an area that will motivate people to work hard. Office interiors should be designed to help employees stay on track and keep them happy.

One of the first things to consider is the furniture. It should be functional, but comfortable. Employees who are not comfortable will be constantly getting up to go to the bathroom or get water just to stretch and get out the kinks. While comfy furniture costs a bit more, it will actually go right into productivity.

The equipment that is used also has an effect on how people work. If your computers are years out of date, no one is going to be terribly motivated to use them. Keep equipment up to date and running so that your employees can do their jobs properly. This has a major impact on how motivated people are to do their jobs, as well. When things don't work properly, the frustration levels rise and people will feel unsatisfied with their jobs.

Aside from the more technical areas of the office, there are many other factors that impact the way people work. Color is one. Look at changing up the wall colors. Skip the tan, it's so last decade, and look for something a bit more interesting. Green or blue are both great choices and can really liven up an office. Furniture can also be purchased in colors, so set a color theme and enjoy.

Letting people turn their spaces into a personal space is something that many offices do allow. It's a good way to increase productivity since people are more motivated when they look at photos of their family and think of why they're working so hard. This can be a big motivation and is worth allowing in the workplace.

For many companies, it's useful to create a positive environment. Hang motivational photos on the wall, make someone employee of the month and feature them. Create positivity and it will come back to you.

Lighting is another huge factor in productivity. Buzzing fluorescent lights will give people a headache and make them frustrated. The flickering doesn't help, either. Instead, look for more modern options. There are eco-bulbs that give a tungsten style light but still save money and light large areas. These are a better option. After all, if people can't see properly, they aren't going to be too happy. Lamps can also be provided for closer work.

There are many factors in office productivity. You might not be able to change everything all at once, but you can improve things bit by bit and watch the improvements make a difference.

When it comes down to it, office interiors are rarely what they could be. Just a few changes can make a big difference. Adding some color, allowing employees to hang their own pictures and ensuring that they have a comfortable place to work are all methods of making your office a better place to work.

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