With more than two-thirds of employees spending longer at work, you may think UK productivity levels are at an all-time high. However, a 2016 study by Smith Institute revealed that only 10% of employees spending more time at work say they are more productive as a result.
If you feel like you could be part of the majority who are less productive despite working longer hours, but you’re worried to broach the subject with your boss, it might be time to make some changes to your environment.
With the same study citing that 80% of respondents’ employers measure productivity, it’s important to keep track of your own – especially if you’re heading a project team. If you’re struggling to keep your mind on track in your company workplace, or you have a home office where you fail to separate work from home life, here are some tips on how you can get create a productive office space.
Avoid the frills
If you work at home, avoid making your office space too homely. If you do, you’ll find it more difficult to discipline yourself into work. Already you’re surrounded by home comforts, so adding more will have the opposite effect of feeling productive. Instead, you should keep the home comforts off your desk and create a space that makes you feel as though you’re in a work environment.
For those working in the company office, decorating your desk can make you feel happier and more productive, but too much clutter can cause havoc to your productivity levels. Keep a good balance between healthy decoration and desk mess and you’ll be able to reap the benefits of a homely office space with no worry of losing documents.
Get your green-fingers on
While minimalist offices may be all the rage, an office with no plants can have a detrimental effect on employees’ productivity. Research conducted by Dr Chris Knight and his colleagues from the University of Exeter in 2014 revealed ‘People in “lean” offices are as miserable as ants in an empty jam jar’.
So, livening up the workplace with a plant or two can have a great effect on your overall mood and in turn, productivity. After studying the topic for 10 years, Dr Knight found and his colleagues found that when one plant per square metre were introduced to a stripped bare office, “employee performance on memory retention and other basic tests improved substantially.”
Posture perfect
Being comfortable at work will mean you’re able to concentrate on your work without distraction, paying utmost attention to your work. However, when you’re hunched in odd postures with cricked wrists and a sore neck, it doesn’t just affect your productivity – it affects your attitude towards the company.
Ask for an adjustable seat if you think your posture is becoming an issue and affecting your productivity levels. Other small changes can make a big difference in creating a productive office space – for example, a hand rest for your keyboard or changing the levels the screens to avoid neck pains.
Manage the noise
Noisy and open plan offices can be one of the main issues for those suffering from unproductive bouts. If you work in an open plan office invest in some noise-cancelling headphones. These can be used when you require some silence or relaxing music for periods of intense concentration.
If you work at home, you can choose your own relaxing background music for your home office, keeping yourself as productive as possible.
Switch it up
Working in a variety of spaces can keep you on your toes and help you be both more productive and more creative. Many employers offer the opportunity for employees to move around within a building. From quiet tucked away spaces to lounge areas to the usual desk area. Changing up your scenery may just give you that jilt you need to break through on your most recent project idea.
If moving from space to space isn’t possible in your place of work, make sure you get plenty of time away from the desk. Take breaks throughout the day and use the opportunity to step out of the work zone. This will help you separate your desk from becoming a place of leisure – meaning you’re being as productive as possible when you’re there.
Keep it bright
Another element to keep in mind when creating a productive office space is colour. Introducing colour into your workplace can help you stay focused and remember information. Colours have different connotations and can affect your mood without you realising.
You may think you don’t have much say over what colours your office is, but you have say over more than you realise. You can choose your own stationery, your own desktop background and your own clothes, so put extra effort into what you might wear when you have a big day ahead – it may unconsciously help you perform better.
Which steps will you take to create your perfect productive office space? Let us know in the comments!
