Every workplace should have several ways to increase comfort and efficiency at work. Comfort in the workplace is important because a good working environment encourages productivity. It is highly recommended that you have comfortable chairs, desks, footstools, couches, and more. The more comfortable your employees are, the better they are at their work, and you’ll see an increase in your employee’s productivity.
Comfort should not only be addressed when it comes to the employees’ physical needs but also their mental and emotional needs. If you’re looking for ways to improve comfort in the workplace to increase employee efficiency, here are some of the things you can do:
1. Provide Ergonomic Furniture
Employees who are uncomfortable or tense in their work surroundings aren’t doing their best at work. When your employees are taking too much time facing their computers and sitting on an uncomfortable chair or a too low desk for them, they’ll feel some physical strain. When they feel physical stress, this will affect their performance and productivity. That’s why it’s essential to invest in having ergonomic chairs and a versatile standing desk.
The best thing about the standing desk for the office is that they’re easily adjustable to accommodate different people of different sizes and standing styles.
Ergonomic chairs are also an essential part of a comfortable workspace. Good ergonomic chair models will let the chair recline, allowing for proper placement of the lower pelvis into the correct tilt. A properly aligned pelvis can relieve pressure on the lower back, alleviate neck and back pain and allow employees to sit more comfortably.
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2. Encourage Taking Breaks
Employees who are required to stand or sit for long periods or who constantly need to move from one section of the office to another could hinder their productivity when they don’t stop to take some breaks. The pressure of finishing tasks on time and handling different assignments during the day can also put a mental strain on an employee. With that, you should always encourage them to take breaks from time to time.
Letting your employees take a rest can boost employee morale and productivity. Sitting down and relaxing for a few minutes every once in a while, can improve the flow of a person’s day and they have the chance to take a breather when they feel intense pressure as work. The more relaxed they are, the easier it will be to stay on task and get the work done. You can encourage breaks by having a designated pantry for the employees or placing a coffee station in the office.
3. Provide A Comfortable Working Area
Space planning is also essential when it comes to creating a comfortable workspace. Setting up individual cubicles can help provide a sense of privacy for your employees and make sure you have a designated space where they can collaborate and work as a group.
If space is an issue, you can choose to have an open floor plan with desks standing beside each other. However, you should ensure that your employees are not too close to each other, and you should provide a storage space where they can place their items.
4. Keep Meetings Short
It’s been said that half of all meetings are a waste of time or unproductive. Some leaders take too much time on meetings which makes their employees uncomfortable because they could be spending that time finishing their work. To improve efficiency in the workplace, it’s essential to keep the meetings short and discuss only the critical agenda. To keep your meetings productive, here are some tips you can follow:
- Make sure the meetings start and end on time.
- Distribute the agenda to the participants beforehand.
- Encourage everyone to speak out during the meeting to cover all concerns, questions, and issues.
- During the meeting, only focus on the agenda; if new problems arise, set another time to discuss them.
Meetings are a great way to encourage people to speak up and collaborate with other team members. However, you need to keep these meetings short and only focus on the essential items you need to discuss with your team.
Summary
When people are uncomfortable in their workplaces, they lose concentration and focus. You need to provide a comfortable and calm working environment for your employees. You should invest in ergonomic furniture to keep your employees comfortable even when they spend too much time sitting down. You could also provide a comfortable working space where they can move and store all their personal belongings.
To ensure productivity, you should encourage your employees to take a break and keep your meetings as short as possible to finish other tasks assigned to them. All these will give comfort to your employees so they’ll be able to work productively.
