Since employees spend 40 hours of the week — sometimes more — at the office, it’s important that they feel comfortable while working. You can’t expect an office to feel like home, but you can make it a more enjoyable place for employees to spend time. Following are some simple ways to make employees happier and more comfortable on the job.
Paint the Walls
A simple, affordable way of adding personality to the office and making it feel more comfortable is to paint the walls. Choose colors that are soothing and inspire creativity. For instance, blue and green both have a calming effect on people, whereas yellow and orange encourage friendliness and creativity. If painting isn’t an option, incorporate other methods of brightening the office, like wall hangings and other artwork. Get employees’ opinions on decorating so you’ll know what designs will make people the happiest.
Have a “Bring your Pet to Work” Day
Nothing relieves stress more than spending time with cuddly animals. And, what better way to reduce stress and make employees happy than letting them bring their pets to work? Set up a special day each month for a “bring your pet to work” day. Be considerate by allowing employees who are allergic to animals to work from home that day — or set up a special no-pet zone so they won’t suffer from allergies all day.
Set the Right Temperature
If employees have to wrap themselves in blankets to keep warm, or keep cool by fanning themselves all day, you should take that as a sign that it’s not comfortable in your office. The solution could be as simple as adjusting the temperature, but if that doesn’t work, you might need to call maintenance and schedule an inspection of the duct fans or your heating and cooling system, overall. The temperature should be, ideally, somewhere around 68 degrees inside.
Encourage Healthy Lifestyles
There are many risks associated with sitting all day, including high blood pressure, obesity, high blood sugar and even a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. But you can do your part to keep employees happy and healthy by encouraging them to take breaks.
Allow employees to take regular, short breaks throughout the day to walk, or at least encourage them to look away from the computer for a few minutes. Start a fitness walking group, so members can keep each other motivated. Another way to get workers moving is to incorporate a few standing desks in the workplace that employees can share. Start the year off right by holding a weight loss competition, and award the winners prizes. Pair people in teams so they can encourage each other during difficult plateaus.
Providing a comfortable workspace for employees can be as simple or as extravagant as you can afford. But even making simple changes shows employees that you want work to be as enjoyable for them as possible, which makes them happier and more productive.
Image source
