Stress is something we know is dangerous but we tend to avoid focusing on too much.
Perhaps it’s because we know it’s a huge issue and that taking steps to reduce the amount of stress in our lives will take time and effort. Regardless of the reason, it’s vital that we all learn to take workplace stress more seriously and do what we can to reduce it.
When left to fester and grow, over the long-term, stress can be extremely damaging to health and in the worst cases, can even lead to fatal health conditions. Of course, living with stress is no picnic either.
The amount of time you spend sitting at your office desks is large and that means if you’re constantly dealing with stress in your contemporary office environment, you’re going to be unhappy and feeling under pressure far too often than you should be. With that in mind, both employees and employers need to work on strategies for managing stress in the workplace.
Check out this video for a few suggestions.
One area which might not have popped into your mind is the way in which the office is designed. When an office is designed poorly, it doesn’t really work hand in hand with stress relief. However, when careful thought and attention goes into office design it can actually help to reduce stress and increase morale.
Not sure how? Check out these three reasons why giving more thought to your office design could help to reduce workplace stress.
More Personal Space
Aside from social distancing, ensuring that your office is designed with plenty of space in mind means that employees won’t be tripping over each other and feeling penned in. This means leaving enough space between office chairs and desks, and allowing people to have enough space to move around without feeling claustrophobic. This is also an element which could help you to attract new talent to your business - well designed offices certainly play a part.
Electrical Equipment is Sited Away From Regular Work Areas
There is nothing more stressful than having to sit next to a loud and hot printer for the majority of your working day. When an office is designed with stress reduction in mind, such equipment is located a little further away from where people are trying to get on with their work. This helps to reduce distractions and allows people to concentrate, whilst also being a more comfortable way to work in general.
The Wonder of Colour Psychology
When we talk about office design we’re also talking about decor. Colour psychology tells us that certain colours have the ability to affect our mood. So, an office which is decorated in a high-octane colour, such as red or orange is going to incite stress because it feels fast-paced and overwhelming. The same can be said for clashing colours and too many patterns. However, when you decorate your office in calming colours, such as those with hints of nature - yellow, blue, green, beige, etc, employees will feel calmer and therefore less stressed out.
If you thought office design was just about making a good impression - you’re wrong! The way you design your office can have an impact on how your employees feel during their working days, directly linking into stress relief.