As an employer, it is your duty to ensure that your employees are as happy and comfortable as possible in their workplace. Not only is it your duty, but it is also in your own interests too.
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The happier and more comfortable an employee is, the more productive they will be. They will be more loyal to you and your business, and they will be keen to come to work and show you what they can do.
Miserable employees who have nowhere comfortable to work in won’t do their best work – they will only do the bare minimum required of them, and although this is what you are paying them for, it won’t benefit your business in any way.
If you think you need to make your office more comfortable for your employees – and yourself – this guide will help you.
Clean and Tidy
Working in a cluttered, untidy, possibly even dirty office is not a way to keep your employees happy and productive, and nor is it a way to ensure they are comfortable and able to do their best work. It is essential that time is taken to tidy everything away, especially items that really have no place there.
Not being able to find important documents or even useful items of stationery will cause stress and worry for all concerned. Plus, if employees think you don’t care about the office, why should they? It will get more and more untidy as no one will be bothered to put anything away.
Not only will it keep your office more comfortable, but it will make it safer too; if there are cords and boxes all over the floor, and no safe passage for movement, a slip, and fall at work will be sure to happen, and when it does you could be sued.
Apart from the productivity and safety aspects of having a tidy office to work in, health is a concern too. If the office is not cleaned on a regular basis, allergies could be affected leading to sick days or even employees leaving altogether.
Listen to Employees
When it comes to making an office more comfortable, it is the employees who should have at least some say in how it is done. After all, they are the ones who are going to be in that space for eight or so hours every day.
During a typical week, they will probably be in the office for longer than they are in their own homes, and this is why it is so important to get it right. Listen to what the employees say about their chairs and desks, for example; if they are uncomfortable, think about buying ergonomic furniture that will help them and stop injury from occurring.
Although this might cost more at the start, the added work that a comfortable employee can do will make up for it in time.
Personalization
Although you will want your office to be as professional as possible, allowing a little personalization around your employees’ workspaces will help to make the place a lot more comfortable, and where people will want to be.
It could be as simple as a framed photo on a desk, or some flowers in the break room. You don’t have to allow everything, but a few things from home will boost happiness and comfort hugely.
