How office furniture impacts productivity in the workplace

Full-time employees tend to spend around a third of their life in the office. Maintaining focus, comfort, and maximum productivity for that length of time can be challenging without the right office furniture and environment. 

Unfortunately, businesses that don’t invest in their employees’ comfort are likely to experience periods of poor productivity. During this time, their costs will increase, you will waste time, and the business could see a reduction in profits. 

Employees are the backbone of any business. Taking their comfort into consideration is one of the core aspects of enhancing your team’s productivity. Office furniture is just one of many ways to increase employee satisfaction in the workplace. In this article, we’ll describe a handful of the ways that you can utilise office furniture to encourage happy and healthy staff to be their most productive selves. 

 

Invest in ergonomics

The comfort and motivation of your team are one of the most significant factors determining the productive output of your office. Suppose the office furniture is uncomfortable or unsuitable for your employee’s needs and requirements. In that case, you are far more likely to receive poorer quality work, miss deadlines and suffer from staff absences. 

• Office chairs

 

Office furniture plays a considerable role in the focus and comfort of employees. Poor posture or uncomfortable seating can lead to disruption and stress due to the need to readjust or fidget. 

 

Ergonomic desk chairs offer consistency and flexibility for all employees. Working in a dynamic office environment, you are likely to accommodate employees of different heights, sizes and comfort preferences. Adapting to their particular needs might seem costly, but it doesn’t have to be. 

 

Ergonomic office furniture is designed with flexibility in mind. Ergonomic office chairs tend to be customisable to the preferences of a particular individual. With adjustable height, lumbar support, seat depth, seat tilt and armrest adjustments, employees are free to create a seating position that suits their working style. 

• Standing desks

 

Mobility and energy are two of the most critical factors in creating a productive workplace. If your employees are drained and cramped due to uncomfortable office furniture, you are less likely to experience the success that you require from each individual.

 

Standing desks have proven benefits for the health and productivity of working individuals. Having the flexibility to continue working whilst standing up provides numerous health benefits and added comfort. 

 

Improved posture, reduced risk of heart disease and improved mood and energy are just a few of the significant advantages that standing desks offer. By supporting your employee’s health and well-being in the workplace, employers will find satisfaction in improved work rates and reduced sick days to recover from poor working conditions. 

• Additional accessories

 

Amongst key pieces of office furniture such as desks and chairs, there are also extra ergonomic accessories available to office workers to improve their productivity. 

 

Items such as adjustable monitor arms, footrests and flexible computer mouses offer significant differences to the comfort and productivity of staff. 

 

By addressing minor inconveniences such as wrist, ankle, neck and back discomfort, employers can significantly impact the productivity of their staff. Offering enhanced ergonomic comfort will boost energy levels, mood, and focus, favouring the business. 

 

Provide a positive environment

 

Deciding which office furniture to implement within your workplace might seem like the most crucial factor in boosting productivity levels, but the environment in which you utilise the furniture also has a vital role. 

• Natural lighting 

 

The adverse effects of a lack of natural lighting in the workplace have been demonstrated across various pieces of research. Human beings rely on natural light to regulate bodily processes and provide focus. Without it, we are likely to suffer poorer concentration and attention regulation.

 

It has been shown that natural lighting can combat symptoms of eye strain, headaches and blurred vision within the workplace. Therefore, employers should consider introducing more natural light into the office environment and placing desks and workspaces with plenty of light available. 

• Acoustics 

 

Offices tend to be noisy environments. Collaboration between co-workers, busy phone lines or meetings with clients can all distract employees from trying to focus on other tasks. These distractions can build up over time and lead to restlessness and a lack of concentration. 

 

With professional advice, you could adjust workplaces to take account of employees who might need quieter spaces to focus on the task at hand. Acoustic barriers act as partitions made of particular fabrics with sound-dampening features. These can be placed throughout the office to create quieter zones. Alternatively, employees can utilise specified collaboration and meeting spaces to distance those working together from the individuals focusing on their own. 

• Greenery and nature

 

With the correct positioning and type of furniture, employees should have everything they need to feel productive. However, visual surroundings have a part to play. With an uninspiring environment, employees will struggle to produce their best work, even with quiet space and comfortable seating. 

 

Colour has a significant influence on the psychological and emotional characteristics of employees. Changing the colour theme within your office could significantly impact creativity and productivity. 

 

Featuring natural tones such as greens and blues enhances focus, whilst warm tones are thought to inspire optimism. One colour workplaces should avoid excessive amounts of white. Employees tend to feel that overuse of white can feel clinical or sterile. Working in a cold feeling space can reduce creativity and make the area uncomfortable. 

 

Create positivity in the workplace with office furniture and more

 

Synergy Workplace Designers specialise in tailoring office spaces to draw the most out of employees. By enhancing staff wellbeing and comfort, the workspace has the potential to inspire substantial productivity improvements. 

 

Consider walking into your office with the same eyes that your employees may have. Take a seat at their desk and consider whether you feel comfortable, inspired and creative in their shoes. Reaching your business targets starts with your workers. Catering their workspace to their needs enhances concentration and the desire to produce high-quality work. 

 

Suppose you need inspiration or advice on improving productivity in your workplace. In that case, Synergy Workplace Designers can demonstrate how changes to your office furniture, workplace layout and specific design changes can help. Visit their website to arrange interior design or workplace consultation services.