Office interior design generally is not associated with the most interesting, awesome, or “let me work here” attitude. At best interior office design used to be sparse and dull. However, in the past few years, businesses have realized that an office space that is attractive for the employees inspires better work. Overstock, Facebook, and Google are a few examples that show office spaces don’t need to be dull unlively places. Their office spaces are unique and an extension of their brand identity.
Utilizing office furniture solutions, unique spacing, environmental factors, colors that interplay with one another, and even status office design can create good psychology in an office situation. Studies have found several ways a good psychological response will be initiated in its employees by good office design.
Certain design aspects, including office furniture solutions, initiate a psychological response. A visually exciting office space encourages creativity. Open office plans are great to encourage communication and collaboration with all departments, and quiet, individualized zones allow creative employees a chance to work with less background noise.
Overstock has an open layout with office furniture solutions set around the office in creative patterns. Employees are encouraged to take their laptops to different areas in the building to work. One particular workspace was near the floor to ceiling windows, included two comfy chairs and a great desk that was designed to fit an employee sitting down in a cozy chair. Two employees working here stated that they were excited to come to work and “relax.” They felt valued and able to create according to how they worked best.
The open concept has found its way into office design, but everyone needs privacy at some time during their workday. Modern office design that includes areas that address quiet and private spaces for focus work, private phone conversations, and small meeting rooms complement open workspaces and create a good psychological mix.
How an office workspace is designed does affect employee moods. Office furniture solutions help to improve productivity and efficiency across the board; color is important; windows and greenery designed into office space create interesting places to work that foster a communicative atmosphere.
In addition to the design’s impact on employee moods and attitudes, the office space needs to promote equity. Employees regardless of their place within the office need and want to be treated equitably. Millennials who feel smothered by a corporate hierarchy ask for this equity in office design. They want office furniture solutions to include design that is not attached to the status. They want modern office design without the assigned setting to avoid obvious status attached to the workspace.
Millennials want more interaction between people at different levels. In other words, the head of the department should have the same type of office design that the workers do. Everyone is treated on an equal basis concerning office furniture solutions.
Desk configuration, amount of natural light, ambient noise levels, office furniture solutions all feed into an employee’s psychological experience and influence productivity.
If you are in the process of reshuffling your office, change office furniture solutions, bring in creative amenities, pool your employees to find out what features they want to help them work more productively. Ask employees what would help them feel more comfortable. Giving your employees a say in the office configuration and office furniture solutions will help improve employee engagement.
In a recent office survey for a large corporation, the employees were asked what they wanted to see in their office; what would have a positive effect on morale and psychology. Some tips and advice these employees asked for included:
- Adding greenery to the office. Greenery has a huge effect on morale. Research by Harvard Business Reports suggests encouraging your employees to bring in their favorite plant for their desk. Surveys recited that the benefits of greenery boosted up office morale by 30%.
- Natural light in the office is great. Exposure to daylight has a direct impact on the moods of your employees. The World Green Building Council discovered office workers who sat near windows slept better, and we able to work more creatively. Anything that translates into improved productivity and creativity is great for the office staff.
- One big area that employees asked for was safety. Employees need to be safe physical to be productive, but employees also look to feel safe in their emotional and creative environment. Modern office design needs to include spaces that encourage team interaction where everyone can build strong a cohesive team relationship. Workers need to feel safe when sharing ideas, offering feedback, and expressing opinions.
When using psychology to design an office, modern office design and office furniture solutions with the employee in mind encourages movement, promotes communication, stress is lowered, and the psychology of office design is satisfied.
