Creating a Healthy Office Space

Life can become quite mundane and boring when you spend most of your day in a boring office. Sterile white walls and a bland workstation can have a negative effect on our mood while we work. Research shows office workspace design can have positive effects on employee engagement, health, and performance. Therefore, it makes sense to create a comfortable office space that enhances productivity and simultaneously looks aesthetic.  As a result, creating a healthy office space helps you feel less anxious and perform better mentally. Are you wondering how to create a healthy office space for yourself and employees? Here’s how:



1.    Hang colourful works of art.

According to Patrick McCrae, CEO of UK art consultancy ARTIQ: “Art has been proven to increase productivity, enhance wellbeing and help creative thinking, making it an essential addition to any home office.” Consider how you can turn an otherwise bland work desk into a place where you’re happy to spend hours of the day working. On your desk or wall, hang a colourful painting or motivational quote that makes you happy every time you look at it. It’s also a good idea to remove distracting gadgets from a workstation, such as a television or games console. Having a creative office space will not only improve worker happiness and productivity but will also go a long way towards attracting top talent to your business for years to come.  

2.    Incorporate flowers & plants.

Numerous scientific studies have proven the positive effects of having more greenery in a workspace. Placing flowers and plants around the office helps relieve stress and anxiety. It also helps increases productivity, cleans the air, and creates a pleasant working environment for employees and clients.

3.    Add stylish waste bins.

Why not place attractively designed waste bins around your office to ensure that your place of work is a pleasant and litter-free environment. With so many designs and colour schemes available on the market, it’s easy to find a range of bins to complement your corporate image, branding and company recycling policies. Say yes to cleanliness!

4.    Add unique furniture.

Most people often overlook the importance of good office furniture. Choosing the right furniture can help boost productivity and employee morale. Good office furniture sets the scene for professionalism and expectations.  Choosing sleek, modern office furniture and office chairs can help transform the image and reputation of your company and business. Good office furniture helps to create an atmosphere of reliability, efficiency, and stability, which is especially important if you have clients and customers visiting your premises. Your office furniture will reflect your brand, so you should always try to make it as positive and welcoming as you can.



6.    Make the most of natural lighting

Your workspace can have the most distinctive furniture, excellent colour pallet, and stylish workstations. None will fully shine until you have the correct lighting. The office lighting in your workspace has a direct effect on the mood, energy level, and productivity of your team.  Lighting that is too dim will make your employees feel tired and cranky. On the other hand, lighting that is too bright will be hard on the eyes even triggering headaches and migraines.  

The perfect lighting for your office space will help your employees stay alert, creative, energized, and in the right state of mind to give 100 percent. But finding the balance between too dim and too light can be a difficult task. For large, open spaces like most environments, fluorescent or light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs are the best option, but halogen and incandescent are also just as good.


7.    Add a bookshelf.

Whether you work from home or in a corporate office, it’s important to have a space that feels like your own. A personal touch can help you feel more relaxed and calmer when working, and adding a bookshelf is a great way to do this. It fosters knowledge sharing and collaborating. It also sparks creativity and inspires your work community to read, learn and improve.

8.    Remember office aromas.

The smell of pleasant odours in a workplace improves mood and staff morale. Install automatic air fresheners to ensure your place of work smells good at all times. Choose scents that boost focus and productivity. For example, Lemon, Cedarwood, Jasmine and Peppermint are good for alleviating stress and improving mental health.

9.    Keep a fruit basket handy.

Subscribe to a weekly fruit delivery basket service to encourage you and your team to make healthier choices while at work. Place a fruit bowl, bottled water, and healthy snacks around the office to promote healthy eating habits.  

10.    Customize your desktop or laptop.

It is a simple yet necessary step in creating a healthy office space. Customise your laptop or desktop background to a photo or image that will motivate and inspire you throughout the day. You can also try changing the background every several days to keep things exciting and fresh.

11.    Keep framed pictures of loved ones.

Placing photos of family members and friends on your desk will remind you of what is important life. Family pictures-wedding photos or tasteful vacation shot shows you can manage work and home.


Conclusion

Healthy office spaces increase productivity, creativity, and motivation, it’s as simple as that! If you want to reap these benefits, you’d better start changing your workspace.