How To Create A Motivational Office

COVID19 has shaken up the business landscape in all kinds of ways. One of them is that remote working has now established itself as a viable option.

This means that companies which want to get staff back into an office are going to need to make sure that the office is a place they want to be. Here are some tips on how to make that happen.

Sort out your workspace layout

Use the current restrictions as an opportunity to review and, if necessary, rework your office layout and furnishings. Of course, health and safety has to come first and functionality second. Neither of these, however, should prevent you from adding a human touch.

If you’re restricted for space, then look for changes you can implement without taking up any room. For example, changing out lights and light-fixtures can massively improve the feel of a space without reducing usable real estate.

Brush up your decor

Decorating offices can be slightly tricky. On the one hand, you must be realistic about the fact that people will have different tastes. On the other hand, sticking with white/magnolia everywhere is just plain boring.

If you want to hedge your bets, stick to safe neutrals for walls and carpets, but be prepared to liven them up with decals and/or affordable art. You can even make your own artwork. Just paint whatever colours and patterns take your fancy and call it abstract. If the art is affordable you can experiment and ring in the changes fairly easily and affordably.

Give employees at least some flexibility to customize their own workspaces. You can implement this alongside a clear-desk policy and/or hot-desking. You just need to have people put their belongings away at the end of the day. Ideally, you’ll provide safe storage for them to do this (at their own risk).

Bring in the beverages

Alcohol is generally a no in offices (except on special occasions). Tea and coffee, by contrast, are very much appreciated, particularly coffee. Many office workers depend on coffee to get them moving at the start of the day and after lunch. Some like to top up their caffeine over the course of a day, especially if they have meetings.

Even if you have coffee shops in the vicinity, there’s a lot to be said for offering decent coffee in your office. Firstly, it shows that you care enough about your staff to give them options. Secondly, it can encourage the sort of behaviours companies often very much want to see in offices. These include social interaction, productivity, and creativity.

You can create fantastic spaces for both socialising and eating and drinking which allow for employees to recharge their batteries before heading into the 2nd half of the working day. Whether you opt for traditional canteen areas or consider modern micro markets, there's something to suit all businesses.

Go for greenery

Real flowering plants are generally unsuitable for offices due to allergies. Fortunately, however, there are plenty of foliage plants which look great in offices. If you’re concerned about taking care of them, then look at options such as succulents and air plants. These require almost no maintenance and are virtually impossible to kill.

Almost every office can find space for at least one plant, often more than one. For example, you could put them high up on the walls or hang them from the ceiling. They really do bring a special touch to a workplace.

Upgrade your bathrooms

Your employees might not spend much of their working day in the bathrooms, but they’re certainly going to visit them from time to time. You want them to have a pleasant experience when they do.

Just making a point of buying some decent toilet paper can make your bathrooms pleasanter. If you have the budget, it’s great to offer moisturizing soap. Ideally, you’ll offer hand lotion to go along with it. You might also want to consider equipping some of your bathrooms with small vending machines where staff can buy personal items.