The average person spends one-third of their life at work. Rather than leaving employees to feel uncomfortable, stressed, and unappreciated for a third of their life, there are plenty of things business owners can do to create a ‘home away from home’ feel in the office so it becomes a joy to turn up to work every day, five days a week.
Of course, keeping things professional and productive is integral, but there should be areas of the workplace where staff can feel relaxed, creative, and comfortable. So how can business owners or office managers create a fun environment that promotes productivity while also being fun, comfortable, and a stress-free zone?
Create casual areas
Providing these small casual areas can do wonders for your business, too, as the more appreciated and accommodated staff feel, the less chance they’ll want to leave and find work elsewhere. In addition, low staff turnover rates mean higher productivity and fewer recruitment costs, so you can see how a creative office can benefit everyone involved.
Capture the personality of your business with a theme
Corporate offices tend to fill the walls with their vision and business principles. Mega giants like Google, Amazon, and Apple use their décor to let the business’s personality – and the people in it – shine through.
Using colors, inspirational quotes, and a style that suits your business can start to make the place feel like it is fit for purpose – rather than a simple office block that could be home to any business.
However, while you can create a theme, it is important to try and keep things still simple. Do not make the place look too unprofessional or overbearing; a few nods to the business’s personality here and there will work wonders.
Create a cool break out space for staff
Whether it’s after a stressful call with a client or working on a project for weeks only for it to fall through, there comes a time where everyone needs to escape for a few minutes at work.
Having an on-site staff room or break area for staff is integral, as employees need to feel like there is somewhere to relax or de-stress on their breaks. Make sure the room has a commercial hvac installation and if it already has then make sure you get an inspection done to know if an HVAC repair or air conditioning repair is needed, having the proper temperature at work is seen to be one of the most understated factors for building a solid team at work. In addition, it should be a space where they can feel comfortable talking openly with their colleagues about both work and non-work-related topics. Ask experts like Sitton Mechanical – AC installation in Stillwater how you can maintain this for your office space. If you have a faulty AC unit, get it checked by an air conditioning repair services technician or find a provider of ac replacement services.
Rather than having a simple kitchen with plain walls and generic lighting, the break-out space is the perfect place to get creative with design, décor, and furniture. Opt for comfortable chairs rather than just table chairs; sofas, a foam bean bag like Fombag, and a few armchairs will create a casual and more relaxed feel to the room.
You could also include games like cards or Jenga for staff to enjoy with a coffee on their break.
While making the space feel energized and fun, try to maintain the same style or colors used in the rest of the office, to create a level of branding or unity between different areas.