Keeping your employees comfortable and motivated to work is important if you want to ensure your office stays productive. As many employees return to the office after pandemic shutdowns, however, morale may be lower and the motivation to sit in their office chair all day is simply not there.
The old office space isn’t nearly as comfortable as their living room couch or home office space, but you can take a few steps to make the old space more inviting. Simply having a comfortable and positive workplace motivates employees to do better.
Even before the pandemic, studies on how the physical workspace affects employees were being done and, unsurprisingly, have revealed that employees who don’t enjoy their work environment won’t be as motivated to work.
While it isn’t the only step towards creating a positive workplace, renovating your old workspace can contribute to a new feeling of productivity and teamwork. You don’t need a whole office make-over. In fact, doing just a little bit of renovation can have a huge impact on the feeling of your workplace.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
#1. Update Your Flooring
Many older office buildings haven’t had updated flooring in decades. If your office is still sporting the same stained carpet from the 90s, it’s well past time to upgrade. Updating your flooring doesn’t have to mean switching to hardwood or epoxy floors, but most businesses choose to go this route.
Epoxy flooring has become especially popular recently, but it can be expensive. If your business doesn’t have this kind of budget, consider vinyl or hardwood floors. You can even go with a new carpet design if you prefer having something softer to walk on.
If your office really doesn’t have the means to fully replace your old flooring, consider a deep cleaning instead. Getting rid of stains that have been around for years can do wonders to make your carpets look better. You may even discover that your carpet is a different color and years of built-up dirt, dust, and spilled coffee has changed it entirely.
#2. Switch to an Open Floor Plan
Open floor plans are popular in residential buildings, but they’re also growing in commercial buildings. Although some people are claiming that they reduce productivity and can be a bigger hindrance than aid, there are still plenty of advantages to an open floor plan for your workplace.
Open floor plans allow for space for your employees to mingle and can make team projects and communication easier. Rather than invading someone’s cubicle or having to search through a maze of desks, an open floor plan makes it easy for your employees to connect and work together.
Having a space for employees to communicate and interact further helps create a positive workplace. Add in open and flexible seating and desk options and your employees will feel much more comfortable making themselves at home. Giving your employees a workspace that is adaptable to their needs only works to further create a positive workplace experience.
#3. Repaint
Similarly to updating your carpets, your walls could probably use some new paint. Over time, paint dulls and starts to look bad. It can even mold or trap unpleasant odors that can lead to a perpetually stinky office.
If you’re looking for something fairly quick and simple, repainting the walls in your workplace could be a great way to go. You don’t even need to make a drastic color change for the new paint job to be effective. Fresh, white paint looks great, but so does a fun accent wall.
If you want to add a bit of character to your workplace but don’t want it to be too wild, choosing one wall to paint a different color can have the desired effect.
Another great way to repaint your office is to incorporate your brand colors. A commercial painter can help you come up with unique ideas that align with your brand and culture while looking fresh and crisp. You can choose to paint all your walls according to your brand colors or just stick with an accent wall. Whichever you choose to do, consider including your company’s colors in one way or another.
#4. Upgrade Your Lighting
Old lighting can have a dreary effect on a room. Replace old lights with more innovative and modern ideas such as suspension lights, LED cord lights, or new mounted ceiling lights.
While it’s better to go with natural light, some workplaces simply don’t have the means. Whether your office doesn’t have that many windows or your building doesn’t face the light, natural light may just be limited for you. If this is the case, upgrading to new lights can really impact the feel of your office.
With so many lighting choices, however, choosing new lighting may not be all that straightforward. Fortunately, there are a plethora of design options and many guides on how to choose office lighting to give you a good starting point.
#5. Update the Decor
Bland walls are demoralizing and can make your workplace feel more like a prison than an engaging workspace. If your renovation budget is low or you don’t have the time for a big project, updating your office decor is a simple and effective way to go.
Invest in paintings and photos. Large prints or wall art can give even an old office a modern feel to it and can really spruce up your workspace. Consider also getting a few plants to place around the office. Many plants are low maintenance but can help keep the air fresh and add a bit of greenery to an otherwise dull room.
Lean Into Change
It’s important to have an engaging and comfortable workplace for your employees in order for them to be productive and get work done. Old office buildings and dreary walls aren’t motivating and after working from home for so long, your employees are even less likely to enjoy coming in for work.
Instead of dreading office changes, embrace them! Use the opportunity to create an engaging and motivating workplace for your employees and watch as productivity increases along with morale.
