If you’re keen to learn how to improve office morale, you’ll probably have done some research already. However, did you know that the easiest way to start seeing improvement is to have a move around, and perhaps change elements of your office design?
Sometimes, a change really is as good as a rest, and a declutter, allowing fresh energy to enter the space and implementing a few finishing touches here and there, could be all it takes to allow new, positive energy to start making its way in.
Of course, you need to know where to start. You can’t go overhauling your entire office if you simply don’t have the budget to do so, and it will affect productivity levels if you do this during working hours en masse. Instead, do some planning beforehand and assess each element at a time; by working slowly, you can make clever and careful changes that will have major effects on your office morale.
The Comfort of Your Office Furniture
Do your employees regularly complain of backache or other aches and pains? If so, it’s time to change your furniture around and look at some ergonomic desks and chairs. Even if you don’t have complaints about discomfort, a few new desks and office chairs here and there could be a great way to create a new feel to the space.
How Much Natural Light is There?
Is your office blessed with large windows, or do you only have small windows in place? Whatever you have, do your best to allow as much natural light to enter the space as possible. This has proven mood-boosting properties and could be a great way to start noticing a more positive feel in your office space.
Look at Office Ventilation
Do you constantly rely upon heating and air conditioning? This can make the space stuffy and can cause headaches in some cases. Whilst you can’t avoid this completely, how about opening the windows and allowing as much fresh air in as possible? Again, this has mood and productivity-boosting properties.
Check Your Decor
The colour of your walls is actually vitally important when it comes to ensuring you have a morale-boosting office design in place. Dark colours can drag the feel of the space down, but creative and light colours can lift it up. Think about blues, greens and yellows for comfortable and creative spaces. If you want to go down the monochrome route, make sure you have more light versus dark shades, to balance the design out.
Is The Office Inspiring?
When you walk into the office, do you get a sense that this is a place where a lot of hard work is done and that people actually feel inspired and motivated? You can feel inspiration when you walk into a room, so make sure you pay attention to this and if you feel changes need to be made, make them!
What About Furniture Placement?
Are your desks and office storage units situated in the best areas? Is there enough room for employees to walk around without feeling cramped, and without banging their legs on the corners of desks? Move your furniture around a little and allow fresh energy to enter.
Have a Declutter
There is nothing more satisfying than having a good declutter! Identify what you don’t need and get rid of it. If there is anything you can gift or recycle, do that. By doing this, you’re also allowing the flow of energy to enter your space but decluttering is a great way to allow employees to feel freer too; call it mental decluttering if you like, but decluttering a physical space is a serious mood booster.
What Does it Feel Like?
We mentioned noticing whether an office feels inspiring when you walk in, but what is the general mood when you walk into your office? Perhaps this is the biggest indicator of whether changes need to be made. Is it positive, is it negative? How does it feel to you?
Having an impressive, comfortable, supportive and attractive office design is the best way to increase morale, retain your existing staff and even potentially attract new talent to your business too.