Mood and Motivation: Why office design can make a big difference

Mood, motivation and productivity are the big three for any office. But did you know? Office design plays a bigger part in achieving these goals than you might realise.

In this article, Arc Business Interiors explores how intelligent and bespoke office design can boost employee morale and focus, while also being an excellent ROI for the future.

Why is this important?
We all spend the majority of our lives at work. This means we need to feel supported, not only by our fellow employees, but also by the working environment we operate in.

Office design has a huge effect on staff members, influencing everything from our creativity to our overall motivation and mood. So ensuring the right conditions are put in place through thoughtful space planning and design will benefit both employee wellbeing and the quality of your output as a company.

Not only that, but bespoke and aesthetically pleasing interior design also plays a role in attracting and retaining talent, helping you get a Return on Investment (ROI).

Productivity starts with comfort
It stands to reason that we do our best work when we’re comfortable.

Tailored furniture is integral in achieving a comfortable, ergonomically-sound space that supports the physical health of employees, preventing pains and strains that could negatively influence the quality of work and the comfort of staff.
Furniture also can be carefully chosen to complement the style and brand personality of your company, giving it a dual purpose of enhancing comfort and wellbeing in addition to contributing to the company’s sense of identity.

Creating supportive conditions
Natural light, optimal temperatures and reduced noise levels are conditions conducive to greater productivity and focus, keeping employees alert and distractions at a minimum.

There are multiple ways to achieve this supportive environment, including swapping out solid partitions for glass, ensuring your lighting design is on point, and making sure that effective heating and air conditioning systems are put in place.

Using the space wisely
Space planning is essential for how employees will use and engage with an office space – and it’s always important to pay as much attention to the working areas as you give to the relaxation areas.

For example, a cramped office with very few break-out zones will lead to employees feeling hemmed in and without much space to relax and collaborate. This may contribute to feelings of stress, and result in a lack of the essential interaction and creativity that’s often a major benefit of these break-out spaces.

Therefore, a more open and well-structured design will have a direct effect on employee mood, collaborative spirit and ease of movement throughout the office. This can include plenty of space between desks and designated break-out areas for relaxation, socialisation and teamwork sessions.

The colour theory
Research has revealed that colour has a big impact on our mood so it’s important to choose wisely for your office. Your brand colour palette may already give you a good starting point to work from, providing you some base-level hues to play around with.

It’s best not to opt for lots of busy, crazy colours as these can be distracting to employees. However, you might not want to choose an entirely grey or white colour scheme either, as this can make workers feel sad or dispirited.

A few accents of colour incorporated smartly throughout the space is the best way to go, achieving the perfect balance between not too distracting and not too muted.

Establish your identity
A sometimes overlooked element of office design is the fact that workspaces should easily communicate the brand personality and ethos of the company to both employees and new visitors. Office design is an incredibly visual and striking way to do this.

Whether it’s including your brand colours or incorporating graphic elements that clearly show what you’re about, there are plenty of ways to establish a clear identity through interior design.

Do this skilfully, and it will help employees feel part of a team and give them more of a sense of purpose on a day-to-day level.

Encourage health and fitness
Physical health is heavily linked to mental health. That’s why helping staff look after themselves physically is likely to positively affect their mood too.

This can be achieved in simple ways, such as installing water coolers and vending machines to keep employees hydrated and nourished.

It can also take the form of more ambitious changes, such as incorporating an office gym into the design, or perhaps a canteen space to encourage employees to take an established lunch break rather than sitting at their desks.

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