It’s no secret that an office can sometimes be a dull place to work. Whilst you’re probably enjoying not having to work outside during the cold weather, an office with a poor layout can lead to issues with isolation, stress or other mental health problems.
Take a look at our tips in setting up your office for positive mental health and to increase productivity in your team.
Natural light is important for many reasons, so try to get as much of it into your office space as possible.
Natural light is known to help with mental illnesses such as stress and depression. Natural light is also better for you in terms of helping you get to sleep as it allows your body to regulate itself in a sleep cycle.
LED lights have been found to flicker at a rapid tempo, meaning that using LED lights could cause your eyes to work harder, causing damage over prolonged periods. If you still have any of these lights around your office, have them replaced for lighting that better recreates natural light.
If you are working in an office building, make sure that desks are laid out so that all workers can have access to a healthy amount of natural light. If you are working from home, work from the room with the biggest windows and sit near them.
Everyone works in different ways, so to get the most out of your team, offer different ways to work.
A study found that there are four different types of workers, the focussed, collaborative, social and learners.
Focussed workers will often be working on a single task or project, and need a quiet area to be able to concentrate.
Social workers work best when interacting with their colleagues, so social working areas will benefit this type of worker.
Collaborative workers also work well with other people, whether this is one person or a whole group. These team members benefit from collaborative technologies, such as Skype or an Office package that allows multiple team members to edit project documents.
You will probably also have some members of a team who are learners. These are the people in your team who work well when they can acquire new knowledge, whether this is through education or experience. Make sure that you give these team members the opportunity and resources to work to the best of their ability.
Research has shown that a third of UK workers will eat lunch at their desk, which often results in workers not taking their allocated lunch breaks.
Eating food at your desk can also be a minefield, as food smells, crumbs and unsociable eating habits can bother your colleagues.
You should always encourage your team to take their breaks, and having a separate working and social area can help your team to de-stress and remove themselves from their work whilst they eat.
One of the best ways to make sure that your team are happy working in their office is to have up to date equipment that allows them to work effectively and without stress.
Old or outdated hardware or software can not only be counterproductive for your team, but it can also cause stress for those who may have deadlines to meet with inadequate equipment.
Whilst it may be out of the question to provide top of the range equipment that could cost thousands of pounds, the tools that your team use day in, day out should be fit for purpose.
At Premierline, we understand that no office environment is the same, and will each have their own unique insurance needs. This is why our insurance advisors will assess your business’ needs so that the insurance quote you receive is right for your business.
Whether you run your business from your home and require home business insurance or have premises and require office insurance, speak to one of our knowledgeable business insurance advisors today for advice or if you know your insurance requirements you could compare quotes online.
