Office layout, furnishings, floor patterns, and space organization all affect how comfortable, confident, and satisfied employees feel at work. Often, conventional office layouts with cubicles and private workspaces are not only more costly and difficult to maintain but also result in poor team collaboration, low communication, and reduced team productivity. The disadvantages of traditional workplace layouts prompted quick adaptation and increased popularity of open-office concepts in offices across New Zealand.
Employee productivity is a crucial concern when designing workplace layouts and settings. If you’re thinking about going with an open-floor design for your workplace, here are ten easy tips to enhance employee productivity in a collaborative work environment:
1. Use Portable Office Pods Instead of Building Walls
While open-floor designs have been a massive hit in NZ, firms must consider both open and enclosed areas for employees to address concerns like attending phone calls or creating meeting areas, rest areas, as well as work booths. For this reason, NZ offices are focusing on using portable and reusable office pods to accommodate various needs and create private workspaces. Those searching for the best office pod NZ understand the value of those incredibly helpful movable cubicles that promote team cooperation while also allowing privacy for meetings, personal calls, and new employee training sessions. These pods come in various sizes and features and can be customized to suit your interior style.
2. Address Noise Control and Sound Privacy
While open-floor office layouts are great for enhancing communication and social interaction, some employees may get distracted and lose focus. To enhance productivity, managers and decision-makers need to address noise issues to improve employee productivity. Echoing voices and amplified noises can be effectively reduced by strategically placing ceiling-mounted sound traps around the area that absorb sound waves. Apart from installing office pods for personal time, you can also place sound-absorbing elements like carpets, rugs, wooden objects, etc., to reduce the effect of noise.
3. Optimize Layout for Maximum Sunlight
Daylight directly impacts a person’s level of attentiveness and ability to perform tasks. Creating layouts that encourage more sunlight inside the office premises helps employees stay focused on their daily activities, reduces stress, and improves mood. As a result, it opens the path for increased staff productivity. The use of sunlight also reduces operational costs by minimizing the need for artificial light. For best results, put open spaces in areas adjoining windows and allot spaces away from windows for private offices.
4. Use Heating and Cooling System Intelligently
HVACs and other climate control systems work efficiently when you create heating or cooling zones. To perform their best, your workforce will need a goldilocks atmosphere that’s not too hot or cold. Make sure you use your climate control systems wisely to maintain uniform temperatures on the entire floor. Consider enclosed office pods and huddle rooms and make sure they don’t get suffocated when more people go inside.
5. Create Interior Landmarks
Use artwork, décor items, indoor plants, and landscaping elements to create interior landmarks. Employees familiarize themselves with the workplace over time, and these interior landmarks act as a mark of identity and navigation aids in addition to serving their original purpose in the office. You can select anything you deem necessary for a certain section of the office, including flooring options, vases, water fountains, vases, etc.
6. Maintain a Balance between Open Office Spaces and Private Spaces
New Zealand is a world leader in creating innovative working environments that foster productivity, efficiency, and resourcefulness. 85% of kiwis believe that the quality of office space is among the most significant aspects of workplace environments.
While open-office plans can be more productive, you still need to strike a balance between open and private or shared spaces like conference rooms, discussion rooms, huddle spaces, etc. Use furniture spacing to create private nooks at corners and empty spaces. Designate quiet areas and install phone booths to nurture privacy. Most of all, let people work from home when they need it.
7. Consider the Impact of Colors on Psychology
The modern office designs lay particular emphasis on the selection of colors for open-floor office layouts. Different colors have different psychological effects on people’s moods, behavior, and conduct during work hours. Choosing white color can make the office look bigger and brighter since it can reflect light and create an illusion of space. However, the color can appear dull and monotonous and may instill feelings of boredom among employees. On the other hand, black creates an elegant look for workstations. It signifies authority and dominance and must be used carefully. Purple color denotes monarchy, desire, and passion. Since It’s an unnatural color, use it only for creating an accentuated look on the floor.
Green is a color of harmony. When you see green color, the brain releases chemicals that help reduce stress and increase your creative performance.
Blue induces relaxation and promotes intellectual and critical thinking. A blue design on the floor, carpets, walls, or corners can help improve employee productivity.
While yellow color encourages optimism and enthusiasm, orange stimulates the mind and releases chemicals that create feelings of happiness. Choose the right color for the right corner, back walls, and floor to encourage employee performance and foster creativity.
8. Use Indoor Plants
You may be surprised to learn that plants can alleviate stress, noise levels, and productivity. Indoor plants like the snake plant, aloe vera, peace lily, Boston fern, pothos, bamboo palm, and English ivy are not only aesthetically appealing but also purify the air and improve its quality. If you haven’t added low-maintenance indoor plants to your open-floor office, now is the right time to do so. However, make sure they aren’t placed in dark and non-ventilated corners. ,
9. Establish Zones
Establishing various zones can help employees perform their tasks in a better way. You can create several smaller zones in your open-floor plan but make sure these zones are away from the main workstations. For example, you can create fun zones away from the working areas where employees can socialize and invigorate their energies. Create quiet zones and sleep areas to facilitate short naps or alone time to brainstorm. Create collaboration zones where employees can interact in groups and share ideas.
10. Install Bulletin Boards
Bulletin boards are a great way to keep your employees in touch with what’s happening in the workplace. Try to be creative in designing the bulletin board and use graphics, colors, pictures, and bold texts to make the news exciting. A great piece of writing accompanied by meaningful graphics can provide just the type of motivation your employees need to boost their performance.
Final Thoughts
Open-floor layouts offer numerous advantages over typical cubicles and private offices. You can use the suggestions above to create an ideal workplace for your staff that inspires creativity and increases productivity. While there are no fit-for-all open-floor designs, you can choose a layout that best fits your custom needs.
