Creating Happy Work Environments for Better Retention and Engagement
The best way to create a happy work environment is to have happy people in the workplace. Happy workers show up and are engaged. Happy workers bring energy to the culture. There are many ways to create a happy work environment and lots of tools and techniques that bring value to the process. The workspaces of yesterday were focused on different objectives than the offices of today. Today’s office furniture is designed to be more flexible and ergonomic rather than rigid and indestructible. A modern workspace is equipped with height adjustable tables, monitor arms, keyboard trays, and other ergonomic tools that help maintain wellness and worker engagement. In addition to the upgrades in desks, the office chairs designed today are technologically advanced. The new tech in seating has evolved to support the work we do. In 1980, the average person didn’t spend time in front of a screen. Many people sat in office chairs during their work day, but the work was different and the ergonomic needs were different. The office chairs in todays collaborative workspaces need to be ergonomic and user-focused. The computer chairs and conference chairs and other office furniture resources are work tools that are designed to improve productivity and employee satisfaction.
Not only is it important to provide the right work tools to your team, these should be organized to optimize the investment as with any other tool or capital equipment a business leverages to create value. The colors that are chosen can have a big impact on the perception of the space. Drab colors will create drab moods and so forth. Trendy colors with positive connotations will deliver winning results.
One of the most under-utilized elements of the modern workspace is the furniture design and the story that it tells to employees, customers, and stakeholders. The budget, style, color scheme, and layout will have a significant impact on the way people feel when using the space. If you make a space for 40 people, the opportunity to save is huge. Do the math….. An office of 50 people working 40 hours a week = 2,000 hours. If good design can make this team 3% more productive, that’s a savings of 60 hours, or almost 2 full-time people. At 5% productivity improvement level, the savings is 100 hours a week of labor. This adds up to a significant competitive advantage for any organization that knows how to leverage good design.
Happy work spaces happen when the right combination of people, leadership, design, and motivation and in alignment. Nicely furnished spaces with a cool look and powerful message can help boost the happiness index in most companies.