Studies have shown that providing an optimum workspace for employees boosts a company’s ability to attract and keep top-quality personnel, strengthens interpersonal work relationships, and enhances employee productivity.

In other words, the physical office environment can be an important (and often overlooked!) way to support your employees so that their passion and commitment will contribute to your company’s success. When we think about how to find a job we love, features like competitive pay and attractive benefits may be what comes to mind first for both employers and employees. However, the way that people relate to their workspace, and the degree to which they find it both comfortable and functional, is also a pivotal element to job satisfaction and success.

How do you go about creating an ideal physical office environment?

Here are five ways you can create a space that your employees love coming to each day:

1. Go to the Source

There’s no need to guess what kind of environment would satisfy your employees when you can find out from them firsthand. Could you involve your employees by asking what kind of space would help them feel more inspired and productive? Absolutely.

Paying more attention to how your employees work each day—do they spend most of their time at their desks, or do they utilize common areas like conference rooms and the reception area? Do room temperature, lighting, and other criteria enhance (or interfere with) individual focus and work performance? Can also benefit any employer when it comes to providing?

2. Make Choices that Reflect Your Company’s Culture

You don’t necessarily have to go out and buy trampolines and pinball machines to improve the physical environment for your employees! The idea here is not to embrace novelty so much as to create a space that reflects your company’s culture and values, while at the same time helping your staff be more focused, productive, and cooperative.

For example, Cisco is a global technology company. They use advanced technology to help spaces “magically” adapt (lighting, temperature, etc.) to individual users’ preferences. Pandora, an internet radio streaming company, invested in artwork that reflects their love of music. Consider what your company is all about, and how the changes you make to the physical environment can serve as a reflection of your mission and priorities.

3. Understand Your Employee’s Needs

A CEO or designer alone may not be in tune with the needs of various employees to have focused work time or to work together on projects. Your office space should define fundamental areas that are available to your employees for certain functions, such as focusing, learning, socializing and collaborating.

4. Consider these Seven Elements of a Successful Workspaces

One way to zero in on creating an excellent workspace for your employees is to use an index similar to the one below, which measures seven characteristics to match people with a desirable physical space for work:

1. Location: make sure the space is easily accessible.
2. Exposure: the degree to which a space offers acoustic and visual privacy. Be conscious of the employee’s responsibilities when it comes to privacy and publicity should be considered before assigning an employee to an open/or isolated office space.
3. Technology: be aware of the technology that is readily available to use within the spaces, as well as what may need to be upgraded for the productivity of employees.
4. Enclosure: the extent to which a space is defined by walls, ceilings, doors, or windows—the opposite of exposure.
5. Perspective: the direction in which the user’s attention is focused—different personality types should be considered when weighing this element.
6. Size: the availability of usable square footage
7. Temporality: the extent to which employees linger in a space

5. Evolve

Improving workplace outcomes through design and outfitting takes investment – both in time and in resources. Be open-minded and adapt your space as needed, always making sure to ask the right questions and to keep your employees involved. The primary goal is not to embrace novelty so much as to create a space that reflects your company’s culture and values while at the same increasing the comfort, therefore, the productivity of your staff.

Are you an organization looking for recruitment services in Central Arkansas? An Apex Staffing professional can help you find the right candidate for the job!

If you’re looking for a new job, check out our Job Openings page + to see what’s available. Apex Staffing specializes in connecting talented job seekers with high-quality, local employers. Our service is completely free for job seekers and we are always accepting applications.