Every workplace should have a solid foundation that supports employee productivity, creativity and happiness. After all, they’re your number one asset!
A positive, vibrant company culture not only boosts employee happiness but also helps productivity and motivation in the long run. In fact, research by Oxford University’s Saïd Business School found that happy workers are 13% more productive.
From encouraging a healthy work-life balance to creating a social atmosphere, there’s many ways to make the workplace a fun, enjoyable and engaging place to be. Here are our top 4 suggestions for what makes a productive work environment.
Poor communication is one of the top office productivity drains. There’s nothing worse than feeling out of the loop or that your opinions don’t matter. So make sure your employees have a voice within your business; empower them to be free thinkers, and ask them for their input so that they know their feedback, concerns and ideas are valued.
The key to effective workplace communication is collaborative spaces that help keep your teams connected. While many aspects of our working lives have moved online (great for agile working!), nothing beats the benefits of face-to-face communication.
Most coworking spaces are designed with teamwork in mind, and most offer the following facilities to support all types of collaborative working:
Teams can benefit from a more productive work environment with these different spaces as they can work in a way that suits them at any given time.
For example, communal areas let employees interact with different people and encourage fresh discussion. Then there are hot desking areas that provide a welcome change of scenery and give a whole new feel to every single day – a sure-fire way to inspire creativity and boost office productivity.
Promote autonomy in your workspace and make sure your employees feel comfortable being self-motivated and free to express themselves. If your teams feel restricted in how they must dress or work, they may be less happy and less productive.
Autonomy is about more than flexibility. It’s about giving your teams the freedom to work in a way that suits them. Encourage employees to think creatively, let them work around their lifestyle (pets at work, anyone?) and build a culture of trust to make them feel valued
Building an inclusive workplace is also essential to supporting a workforce’s productivity, with high levels of diversity and inclusion (D&I) linked to a boost in office productivity.
Research from Perkbox revealed that 42% of businesses saw an increase in workplace productivity due to improved D&I policies. What’s more, the study found that 33% of teams are noticeably happier, and 32% of teams became more creative and innovative thanks to improved D&I policies.
By embracing different ways of working and providing a supportive community, you can create a productive work environment where your teams can be their best selves and do their best work.
When you’ve got deadlines to hit or feel the pressure to get a task done, it can be tempting to plough through it. But without taking adequate breaks from work, your performance and productivity can start to suffer.
Make sure your teams stay refreshed by encouraging them to take frequent breaks. Importantly, foster a productive work environment that shows breaks are perfectly acceptable; they’re not a sign of weakness or lack of commitment.
Physical wellbeing is so important for your teams’ health and productivity. Here are 3 ways you can encourage breaks in your workplace:
Here at Work.Life, we’re all about making people’s work-lives happier. And, as we’ve mentioned, a happy and positive workplace equals a more productive work environment
Tap into the power of positivity to boost work environment productivity by:
These simple actions go a long way to making employees feel valued and promoting positivity in the workplace. And eliminating stress and negativity leads to a boost in work environment productivity, creativity and profitability.
Provide a productive work environment today
For businesses looking for a coworking space that oozes positivity, Work.Life’s shared workspaces provide an uplifting, modern and professional environment.
All our locations across London, Reading and Manchester offer a variety of meeting spaces to keep your teams connected, comfortable spaces to unwind, unlimited coffee, and free weekly yoga classes to energise after a productive day.
Interested in joining a Work.Life space and gaining access to our member perks? Book a tour of one of our wonderful workspaces.