Gone are the days where we worked in grim, rat-race cubicles without any connection to our company and the outside world. Nowadays, offices and working spaces look exactly the opposite! The cubicles have given way to large halls with work desks in close succession to each other. Office interiors have become of top priority for every company.
The goal of interior design in office spaces has become to increase productivity and employee satisfaction. As an HR team member, there are a lot of ideas you can pitch to the management to make your work environment better and happier for you and your co-workers.
How to create a happy workplace?
You can create a happy workplace by following the below mentioned ideas. Remember that a happy work environment constitutes greatly towards productive employees.
Idea #1 – Use Happy Colors
According to recent studies, colors really have an effect on our happiness and mood. Colors have the potential of elevating or dampening our moods and enthusiasm. When we compare this to the fact that most office spaces are white, it is no surprise that employees can start feeling like they are in a rut.
Play around with colors or hire an Interior Designer who will know exactly what colors to mix and match.
It is suggested to use these colors to achieve the best possible benefits at work:
- Yellow – energy, creativity, playfulness
- Orange – attention, enthusiasm
- Red – passion, fire, ambition
- Purple – wisdom, intellect, mystery
- Pink – kindness, friendship, femininity
Idea #2 – Improve the Lighting
In addition to colors, lighting also plays a major role in creating a happy workplace. Lighting is also tremendously important for human mood, motivation and productivity. Do you remember those LED lights from school or the aforementioned cubicle offices? It is a nightmare and a recipe for migraine!
You have to nail the right lighting in your office because it is not only important for comfort and happiness, but also for the basic health of your employees. It is especially important if your teams work in front of screens, which means that the lighting background has to be optimal in order to avoid eye strain.
It is therefore best to install bulbs that mimic natural daylight and will not have an impact on the eyes, even after 8 hours at the office.
Idea #3 – Prioritize Comfort
Most of us spend our days at work sitting down, in front of a computer system. How is it possible to be happy if the chair you are sitting on is annoyingly uncomfortable?
This may seem obvious and trivial. But the comfort of office chairs often slips the mind of HR, interior designers or whoever is in charge of the office décor.
Idea #4 – Find the Perfect Temperature
Temperature is yet another make-or-break factor in the office quest for happiness and comfort. However, this one is quite trickier than the previous aspects we have mentioned. Given that there are several people working together in a common space, it is natural that they will have different preferences temperature-wise.
Idea #5 – Offer Snacks and Drinks
Keeping those blood sugar levels optimal is crucial for productivity, motivation and just basic energy. It is even better when you provide fun, yummy snacks and drinks so the employees do not have to bring them to work by themselves!
Instead of offering a fixed list of items in your common room or kitchen, do a short survey among your employees about what snacks and drinks they would prefer to have. This will give you the best chance of actually getting it right and finding something for everyone’s taste.
Idea #6 – Allow Flexible Schedules
Research has shown that flexibility in work hours and the possibility of remote work is one of the key factors in job satisfaction. And thus, it helps create a happy workplace.
If you want your employees to be happy and improve their quality of life, provide them with a certain degree of independence and freedom. You should ensure a proper work-life balance for your team.
Many employers have a common misconception that no work gets done at home. For some companies out there, this might be true. But some employees thrive in a Work From Home environment. You should acknowledge this and allow those employees who want that to have a chance to work from home.
You can also compile and implement a company wide Work From Home policy for your employees.
Idea #7 – Organize Team Building Activities
This is one of the most effective methods for creating a happy workplace although it sounds like a cliché. If you want your team members to bond, be happy and make friends at work, it is best to organize team building events that will strengthen their connection and collaboration skills. In addition to this, it will also help in their individual development and promote a positive work environment.
Unfortunately, many employees sigh and roll their eyes when they hear the word team building. There are many non-obvious ways to do it. For example, instead of classic holiday parties, you can throw a trivia night or a game night.
Just like with food and snacks, you can do a short survey on what kind of activities your employees like. And, based on their responses, you can mix it all together into one unforgettable team-building experience.
Idea #8 – Build a Flat Hierarchy
Flat hierarchies are the management system of the future. To promote innovation, collaboration and open thinking in your organization, the trip from the intern to the CEO has to be very short. The steeper this road is, the more issues you will have with the happiness of your employees and their feelings of recognition and appreciation.
You should aim towards boosting the morale of your employees. Use documentation to provide a clear outline of the tasks, management system and hierarchy. You can use services such as TopEssayWriting that can help you write the documents related to your company’s organizational structure.
Idea #9 – Money Talks
It seems trite to talk about money in terms of happiness in the workplace. But, for many people, it definitely does the trick. However, it is not so much about money as about status and the feeling that your company appreciates your work and skills.
As an employer, you want to promote a work culture and atmosphere where the results of work are a reward of their own. Conduct performance reviews at least once a year and ensure that you pay a raise to your employees. In addition to this, you should also remember that bonuses and promotions are a welcome perk.
Idea #10 – Find Culture-Fit Employees
The relationships between employees will have a strong impact on their level of happiness at work. Research has shown that employees who are part of close-knit teams have a tendency to stick around in a company more than they would have otherwise.
Therefore, when you are interviewing a potential addition to your team, you should remember that hiring them is important for your employees as well. After all, they are the ones who will be working with the new employee every day.
Idea #11 – Allow Plenty of Breaks and Rest
Usually, every country has a nation-wide minimum break time. You are of course going to comply with this requirement. But, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you can not or should not give your employees more free time.
Remember that breaks are not productivity killers, but exactly the opposite. If you want employees to go back to work happily, you should create an atmosphere for the same. They should get back to work when they feel like it, and not just because they have to.
The Bottom Line
Simply going the extra mile and showing your employees that you care about their happiness and workplace satisfaction will make magic happen. You need to prove to your employees that you care about their personal and professional development.
You can follow the above-mentioned ideas to create your happy workplace. Get the right talent onboard and keep them engaged and happy.
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