When considering the effectiveness of employee wellbeing, factors like job satisfaction and good work-life balance typically spring to mind. However, a well-designed office is a less thought about factor that actually plays an essential role in creating a comfortable and enjoyable workplace for employees. To deliver the best results for their business it is important that companies design their office space with employee well-being at the forefront of their mind.
Employee wellbeing at a glance
Employee wellbeing is crucial for the success of a business as it promotes high satisfaction and ensures that employees remain loyal to their employers. Designing an office with wellbeing in mind is crucial for ensuring that employees are comfortable and can perform their work to the highest standard. Effective employee wellbeing can be identified through the following characteristics:
- Increased productivity and focus
- Good employee retention rates
- Good employee health
- Low absence rate
- A positive office environment
For a business to achieve these goals we have provided four areas of focus that companies must consider when designing their office to ensure that employee health is prioritised.
Factors that contribute towards office wellbeing:
Ergonomic design
Ergonomic design is important for fostering employee wellbeing as it provides a comfortable working set up that reduces the likelihood of injuries. Poor ergonomic design involves any working setup that lacks support and causes poor posture. When planning an office environment for ergonomic design it is important to include the following features:
- An ergonomic chair with a mesh backrestto support the entirety of the back.
- A lumbar support on your chair to take pressure off the spine and lower back.
- An adjustable desk that can be moved up or down to improve posture.
- A laptop stand that relieves strain on neck muscles.
- A footrest to help employees sit upright.
As well as prioritising ergonomic design within the workplace it is also important to create areas that are appropriate for employee downtime. It may be helpful to include comfortable seating areas using sofas and soft furnishings, where employees can sit back and relax during their breaks.
Lighting
An abundance of natural light is crucial in an office environment as it ensures that employees remain focused and awake. However, with some office buildings natural light isn’t always available and you may have to rely heavily on artificial lighting. This can be difficult to get right as the incorrect lighting can have adverse effects on an employee’s health. To imitate natural light effectively LED lights are recommended as they’re designed to provide an accurate colour rendition. This helps to reduce eye-strains and headaches and provide a better working environment for employees.
Noise
Noise pollution in an office setting can have negative effects on employee health, productivity and focus. In addition, excess noise can make it difficult to communicate with others, whether that’s other team members or in client meetings. It can be extremely unprofessional to have meetings with clients interrupted due to noise, so it is within a company’s best interests that their office is designed with noise pollution in mind.
To reduce noise pollution in office settings employers can incorporate noise-absorbing materials and furniture throughout their office. This can be done by installing carpets or placing rugs on the floor where possible, their layers of fabric are effective in capturing soundwaves to reduce noise.
In addition, offices should have enough furniture to absorb and block soundwaves, an empty office space can amplify sound making it louder. It is also helpful to design offices with soundproof meeting rooms to ensure that employees can concentrate when having discussions with team members or conducting important client meetings.
Temperature
A comfortable temperature is crucial in ensuring that employees remain focused and productive at all times. If an office is too cold or hot it can lead to discomfort which is extremely distracting.
For the best working conditions set your office temperature between 21°C and 22°C, this is extremely important as any lower or higher has been proven to affect employee performance. Always gain employee feedback to ensure that this temperature is suitable and remains equally throughout the space. If employees are consistently complaining about the temperature, it may be a good idea to invest in a smart thermostat to automatically adjust the temperature based on the environment.
It is unquestionable that office design plays an important role in fostering good employee wellbeing, by creating an environment that fosters health, comfort and collaboration. It is important that companies adhere to these four factors when designing their workspaces if they wish to create a thriving workforce that cultivates success.
