Environmental Motivators – Ensuring Your Workplace Inspires Employees

How you design a working environment has a large effect on the mentality, productivity, and creativity of the workforce who will occupy it. At Allen Commercial Interiors, we believe there is no “right” or “wrong” way to go about tackling the design stage of an office space, since every workplace will have a different culture and values that require bespoke planning.

When it comes to the overall layout of your office, one of the first things you’ll need to decide is whether you want an open-plan space or a more compartmentalised structure. Each can have upsides and downsides. An open-plan office encourages employees to talk to each other, to get up and move around the floor, and to share ideas, help and resources amongst each other. On the other side of the coin, a more private feel can significantly reduce distractions and interruptions to employees’ workflow, and gives people a sense of truly having their own space to work in.

As much as no two places are ever the same, there are certain aspects of designing a workspace that can almost always be beneficial to employees regardless of the company they’re working for. For instance, it’s important to try to include an area for people to get away from their desks for a while; a place where they can de-stress, socialise with others, and eat & drink comfortably without interruption. Another good addition to most workplaces is the inclusion of vibrant colours, ample sources of natural light, and some nice items of wall art or other flair pieces.

Perhaps most importantly, people need to feel comfortable at work. It’s vital to include ample toilet facilities, air conditioning, heating, airflow, natural light and security. On top of that, ensuring your employees have everything to hand to successfully complete their roles will help to avoid any feelings of frustration or being under-valued.

If you’re unsure as to how you can improve your workplace, just ask. Have a meeting with your employees and ask them to come up with some ideas for how they’d like to change their working environment; you’ll be surprised at how many people will suggest similar ideas that you may not have thought of yourself. Once you’ve got your ideas in place, give us a call on 01462 484022 and one of our dedicated project managers will help see your project through from this initial ideas stage all the way through to completion.