As some employees now spend more time at the office than in their homes, many seek a relaxed workspace where they can get comfortable and get work done. Rather than the typical office cubicles, grey interiors, and blinding fluorescent lighting of the past, many modern offices now seek to be more inviting and provide an up to date work environment that workers will feel at home in.

There are many factors in office working that can impact an employees productivity, and one of them is the design of the office. Sometimes the layout of the office is important for employees as some office noise bothers some people more than others. Open offices or crowded work stations can sometimes prove too much of a distraction for some with the office radio blaring and the constant office chit-chat. By rethinking office design, business owners can create a comfortable workspace that is suitable for everyone that will help increase employee productivity levels.

Introduce flexible office layouts

While the time for strict seating arrangements and office desks were a thing of the past, many modern offices are now choosing a more flexible approach to their office layouts. To help promote collaboration and teamwork, hotdesking has fast become popular with many office spaces being shared by multiple people. Movable office dividers and breakout rooms can also provide flexibility for office workers to adapt their work environment to suit them.

Make your office greener

One of the trendy new office space trends is adding more nature to your work environment. Experts believe that plants can help employees focus on their work better. By incorporating plants in the office, in reception areas, meeting rooms, or at workstations, employees will not only benefit from it but it will also help add more colour to the space. As well as providing comfortable seating and more natural light, introducing plants into the office can help boost employee satisfaction in the workplace.

Encourage domesticated workspaces

Allowing employees to add their own personal touch to their desk space allows them to feel more at home and relaxed when they are working. While many employees can add their family photos and their own stationery to their desks if they’d like, there are many other ways that an office can be easily turned into a more comfortable and domesticated space. Incorporating indoor plants, rugs, and sofas with cushions into workspaces can help employees relax more while they are doing their work. If employees feel more comfortable and at-home, then this could help improve their motivation and productivity levels when they are at work.

Provide huddle rooms

From office lighting to office colour schemes, there has long been a relation between productivity and office design. Designing a welcoming, comfortable, and modern workspace provides the work environment that employees want to work in and get more work done. If employees don’t feel comfortable in the office, then this can have a big impact on their motivation and productivity levels. Providing huddle rooms where teams can collaborate and hold brainstorming sessions can help employees interact with each other and gain inspiration. These alternative workspaces also allows employees to break up their routine so that they are not just sat at their own desk for hours each day.

About the Author

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Mirko Humbert

Mirko Humbert is the editor-in-chief and main author of Designer Daily and Typography Daily. He is also a graphic designer and the founder of WP Expert.