You want to provide your employees with the type of office environment that encourages them to do their best work. How can you create a climate that fosters productivity? Here are three steps you can take:
1. Review Your Tools and Resources
Take a look at the equipment your employees are using. Are the computers annoyingly slow? Is the internet frequently offline? Are there enough fax machines for everyone to use when they need them and not have to wait? Employees can only do so much while waiting for a screen to load, and they may feel frustrated when they know they can do more with better tools. You may find you need to purchase newer computers that can handle your company’s demands, or change internet providers to someone more reliable. Another option is looking into new technology that eliminates the need for some equipment altogether, like a desktop fax service that allows employees to send faxes directly from their computers. When your employees have reliable tools and resources, they’ll be able to reach their full potential at the office.
2. Promote Team Thinking
Your office doesn’t have to be just a working space. Encouraging coworkers to connect with each other can bolster productivity in the office environment. When people think of themselves as part of a team, they’re more likely to go out of their way to help each other, which means more gets done. You can help create this mindset by setting up a system to recognize selflessness in individuals. It can be as formal as coworkers can nominating one another for recognition by management, or as casual as a “compliment box” where employees can anonymously leave notes acknowledging selfless behavior they observed. This has the added bonus of helping coworkers feel recognized for their hard work and makes them more willing to go above and beyond in the future.
3. Make the Office a Place Your Employees Want To Be
It may seem superficial, but people really can be affected by the appearance of their environment. If your office is cluttered and drab, it can dampen your employees’ motivation. Keep your supplies organized and make sure the office layout is designed in a way that makes sense. Make the furniture comfortable, not only in the break rooms, but at the desks where your employees will spend most of their time. When you put thought into designing your office environment, it signals to your employees that you value their experience in their working space.
With these small changes, you can boost your employees’ productivity. Your employees will certainly appreciate it, and you’ll see the effects in your bottom line.