The atmosphere is important for productivity and, overall, employee morale. Thought needs to be put into the design décor and furniture to ensure a “good vibes only” space where employees can be creative, innovative and appropriately relaxed at work.
So, what are the types of things you can incorporate or add to your office to improve the “vibe”?
- A coffee lounge
It’s almost impossible for any office to operate without caffeine in some form or another. The healthier of which comes in the form of a frothy cappuccino. Granted, not everyone is a skilled barista when their main job involves sitting behind a desk, but that’s why there is a Milano machine to make the coffee you want at the simple touch of a button.This comes with the aromatic coffee Milano beans that are ground and give you an instant espresso, cappuccino, mocha and you can even add a hot chocolate setting. You can set your Milano lounge machine to make up to 27 different beverage recipes to hit the caffeine-spot your body is craving.
Have an area where employees can take five minutes of their day to grab a mug, click a button, have a barista-style beverage within seconds and enjoy that first sip… before going back to their desks where heaps of work are waiting for them.
- Words of affirmation
Words are powerful and some people, especially in an office environment, don’t understand how much a compliment, confirmation or praise goes to make someone’s day and motivate them to keep on keeping on.It’s not really something that can be incorporated into the office, but words of affirmation can be implemented by individual employees. It’s especially helpful when practised internally within departments where the people who witness the hours, stress and effort that go into a project can simply say “well done”.
A few affirmative phrases that can be welcomely thrown around the office include “great job”, “you’re amazing”, “high five” (more an action than a phrase), “that’s brilliant”, “thank you” and “well done”. And it’s not about giving them a pat on the back every day when they’re doing the job they’re being paid to do, but about recognising hard work when it’s due and extra effort that wasn’t necessary.
No one will be able to walk around the office with their bottom lip out when they know that they’re being appreciated as more than just a business asset.
- Plants all around
Nothing gives off naturally good vibes as much as plants do. An office with indoor plants is a happy one. Plants are known to have a variety of benefits, all of which are necessary for an office environment where people don’t always get a breather.Plants clean the air surrounding them by converting carbon dioxide into oxygen, something most offices need when windows remain closed to regulate the room temperature. Plants are also stress-relievers and said to increase productivity, creativity and healthy vibes.
If your office has dull décor, all it needs is a couple of bright green and colour plants scattered around to give it a decorative boost. Or, you could always add some colour, which is another vibe-improving tactic.
- Add some colour
Now, while you do need to careful of the colours you add to your office, a stark white office is just as unmotivating. Believe it or not but the colour of your office does have an effect on productivity. Blue, green, yellow and red are strong colours to accent in your office (full-blown red walls all around the office might be too much). So, without going overboard, it’s good to bring in playful and creative colours that will aid employee innovation and productivity.Assign different colours for different departments to help them stand out in an open plan office. Put up pieces of art on the white walls and don’t forget the colour your plants will bring to the office.
- An outside section
Employees who spend their workday stuck behind a computer screen, require a change of scenery to keep their minds active and alert. They also need a place to stretch their legs that’s more than five steps away from their desk.This outside area can become the lunch area where everyone comes together at 12 o’clock to eat and socialise for an hour. Considering that all the hard work happens inside, being out in the fresh air and in an area with a completely different feel will be the perfect break.
- Wellness activities
Another practice you can implement to improve the office culture is through wellness activities. Having a day in the week where there’s a ten-minute desk-yoga session or de-stressing massage offered to help people prepare or push through the day.Every office’s “vibe” will be unique, but these will all be good places to start.
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