The interplay of colours, furniture and lighting is key to boosting staff productivity. After all, only those who are happy can be truly effective. It is therefore important that desks and chairs are ergonomically designed, that there is sufficient light, and that no one is faced with a bare, white wall. After all, we spend most of the day in the office. So it should be designed to be as comfortable as possible. But what else makes the perfect workplace stand out?
Sitting correctly is the be-all and end-all of desk work
It is important that you sit ergonomically at your desk, as this is where you spend at least eight hours a day. You should be able to adjust the chair whilst seated and recline it by at least 30°. This ensures you always have the correct seating height at the desk and can stretch your back from time to time.
A height-adjustable chair should allow you to look directly at the screen. It’s important to ensure that the top line of text is exactly at eye level and no higher. Ideally, the desk should also be height-adjustable. To ensure you have sufficient work surface, it should measure at least 80 by 160 centimetres.
Modern technology offers everything your heart desires
The perfect workplace is equipped with state-of-the-art technology, enabling you to work better, more effectively and faster. Your computer system should always be up to date, because if you’ve ever had to struggle with a slow computer system, you’re probably all too familiar with this problem.
Added to this is a modern telephone system. Headsets are almost a must these days. After all, even small details like this help protect your health. They allow both hands to remain free for the keyboard, and you don’t have to strain your back or shoulders to type and talk on the phone at the same time.
The office environment should not be underestimated
It’s not just the furniture that’s important; the lighting must be just right too. A recent survey found that around 42 per cent of all workplaces across Europe have to manage without natural light, meaning staff sit at desks far from windows or in rooms with no windows at all. In such cases, ample lighting must of course be provided; however, this should not be cold but rather warm and bright, so that it can effectively replace daylight.
Green plants placed between individual workstations help to create a more pleasant atmosphere, particularly when employees at their desks do not have a view of the outside. Offices with no connection to nature, in particular, have a greater negative impact on well-being and health. However, this connection can certainly be recreated using naturally designed light sources and green plants.
The perfect workplace in the right colours
If you’re redesigning an office space, you should be aware that productivity increases when you make targeted use of different colours. Scientists at a university in Vancouver recently discovered this. But you don’t necessarily have to repaint the office; simply having your screen background display these different colours can make a difference. The colour red helps you remember details better, whilst a blue background is beneficial for creative tasks.
Socialising with colleagues in the office is important
Anyone who spends the whole day sitting alone in a room needs a bit of company now and then. As well as fostering better team spirit, this also helps you work more efficiently. Of course, this doesn’t mean you should spend the whole day standing in the corridor chatting to your colleagues. However, everyone needs a break after one or two hours of intensive work to regain a clear perspective on the task at hand and to chat about things other than files or clients. After all, it’s often the case that those grappling with a difficult problem find the solution more easily after a brief chat about other matters.
It therefore makes sense to set up offices with at least two desks where colleagues who get on well together can sit. However, if this isn’t possible, simply setting up a small kitchenette as a meeting place is a good idea. As an employer, you should ask your staff in advance which type of workspace they prefer, as not everyone feels comfortable in a private office or an open-plan office. The ideal workspace should then be tailored to individual needs, for example by installing a partition in the open-plan office or adding a second desk in a small office.
Lunch breaks must not be skipped
There is often so much to do in offices that staff skip their lunch breaks and just quickly eat a sandwich during working hours. However, a lunch break with a healthy meal – even if it only lasts half an hour – is essential for continuing to work effectively afterwards. As a manager, therefore, if there is no canteen available, provide a room where staff can enjoy a light midday snack in peace, perhaps even with several colleagues at the same time. This makes the work afterwards much easier to get through.
Many companies have already recognised the value of the modern business centre
A new approach to workplace design is essential for the future. After all, it is only innovative office concepts that encourage staff to work together, be creative and fulfil their potential. Many business owners have already discovered the high-quality, state-of-the-art premises offered by business centres. These provide the ideal equipment for achieving the best possible results. The perfect workplace is a standard feature of our COLLECTION Business Centre office spaces. After all, it is only by providing the conditions mentioned above that effectiveness can be increased in the long term and lead to success. To this end, in addition to team offices, we also offer video conference rooms as well as training and meeting rooms.
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