Flower Love
Are you one of those many people who constantly think about space in relation to the immediate surroundings that are around you? For example, take a moment to imagine that you live in an area that is completely surrounded by trees. Would you feel completely relaxed with all the sounds of things like rustling leaves and the scents of the natural woodland?
How would you feel just looking at your surroundings? There is a common answer to all of these questions. That answer would be that both your blood pressure and heartbeat would slow down significantly thanks to the general sense of peace and wonder you would likely feel.
As you keep up with this topic, you should also think about the surroundings of the place you are working in. Ask yourself questions like these:
- How do you feel around you?
- Do you feel challenged in any way?
- Is the environment restricting or activating you?
- Do you feel more awake or more distant because of the sights, feelings, smells, etc.?
When designing a company space, especially with regard to the home office design, everything really revolves around the proverbial “end result”. There are many companies always trying to save money by buying only the cheapest pieces of furniture and using an assembly line process to arrange the parts so that large numbers of workers can be accommodated in a smaller space.
Today, however, many companies are rethinking this process when they discover that these particular types of office interior design are really having a negative impact on the overall performance of their employees. In addition, research studies have been carried out showing that employees are much more productive if the more “traditional” model is not implemented.
Here are some general tips on some of the most basic psychological effects of these types of changes. Looking at them can even inspire you.
Who we are is shaped by the spaces we occupy
No matter what time of day it may be, we are constantly involved in physical dialogue with all the spaces around us. The same spaces not only directly influence our creative performance, but also our psychological well-being. In essence, the spaces we occupy definitely have the ability to change our behavior and our general behavior, mentally and physically. The fact that we can spend a lot of time in these rooms also means that we should do everything in our power to get the maximum benefit from them by optimizing them as best we can.
Communication is promoted through open offices
In the past, many different concepts for office interior design have been planned in typical and general ways, regardless of the company. For example, new hires were simply given cubicles, middle management was allowed to use offices with doors, and people in higher positions like CEOs were given wider, palatial spaces with great views of the outside world. However, the latter type of office is now essentially being abandoned in favor of an office space that is larger and much more open.
These particular types of office space have long work areas where a CEO and a new employee may work side by side. The conference rooms are essentially upgraded by glass walls, although the rooms themselves are still closed. There are even some larger companies that have configured their building entrances so that all employees have to go through a large break room before finally moving to their assigned departments.
You may wonder what the real use of all this openness is. The answer to this question is simple. It all boils down to communication, which, according to research, tends to take place when employees can socialize while working on different projects.
Another wonderful benefit of open office interior design concepts is the accountability aspect. This means employees can focus more on their assigned tasks thanks to the proverbial “fish bowl effect” they are likely to experience.
Productivity is improved by using task-based workstations
When it comes to open office interior design concepts, there will of course be some negative effects. For example, imagine trying to join a conference call while some of your employees are standing a few feet away talking on topics that are not work-related. Because of inevitable problems like this, there are many different companies that have begun to use workstation services that are flexible and task-based.
At this point, you are probably wondering exactly how this type of flexibility works. Now, instead of each employee having their own desk to work at, desks that are more open to tasks like computer work and even round tables that are used for creative brainstorming, in addition to cubicles that are more secluded, are becoming more focused all used. There are even some companies that provide their employees with various mobile devices so that they can move freely around the area throughout the work.
Productivity is improved when someone is connected to a room
A study of thousands of different office workers found that a large number of companies have office interior design concepts that are more focused on a leaner form of functionality. This functionality offers the employees working in them little control. The same study also found that employees are much happier and healthier when they are also involved in the layout and overall design of the workspace itself.
Employee morale is improved through personal details
We see it every day in different business settings. There are always select employees who want to spice up their personal workspaces with things like family photos, decorations and children’s drawings. While most people consider this to be unprofessional, studies have been conducted that show otherwise. These studies show that an employee feels much more invested in the success of the company they work for when they are allowed to decorate their own workspaces.
A separate study of these types of interior office concepts was also carried out with four different groups. One group was not allowed to decorate their personal workspaces, another was allowed to decorate their workspaces without reconfiguring any previously installed furniture, one was allowed to completely personalize their workspaces to their liking, and the last group was allowed to decorate their workspaces as they wanted until they did were forced to adhere to new rules and regulations. Perhaps not surprisingly, the group, allowed to fully decorate their workspaces in whatever way they wanted, got the most positive result, especially improvements in terms of focus, organization, ambience and productivity.
The quality of life is improved by natural light
Many office workers have reported that overhead lighting in office spaces can be rather depressing. This is in large part due to the annoying buzzing noise emanating from these lights, as well as the general feeling of fatigue that can come with long hours and which can lead to employees getting sick. This has led many companies to take advantage of the natural light from outside to keep their employees healthy.
Conclusion
Office interior design concepts are extremely important in terms of employee productivity. There is absolutely no doubt that using any or all of the tips above will make all of your employees feel comfortable and have their lives far more positive.
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