How Can My Office Design Improve Employee Productivity?
From the color of your office’s lighting to the way sound is channeled through its spaces, each element of your workplace design has the potential to influence your employees’ wellbeing and productivity. At PureAlchemy Design, we develop office space designs with the human experience in mind. Much of our inspiration draws from experts in the field whose studies help you build a better working experience for your employees. This post will cover how your office design can do just that.
What Makes a Good Office Space?
It’s important when considering the best office space design to be intentional about positively engaging employee and guest senses. A good office space design will consider the human experience on all levels, especially as it relates to practical working experiences. For years, office designs have veered into one of two design categories: open office or traditional. Modern architects and designers take the approach a step further, considering not only efficiency but employee wellbeing. How so? Read on for more.
Engaging the Senses for Productivity
Lighting
If you’ve made it to this post, you likely have some idea of an office’s effect on employees, especially as it relates to lighting. It’s easy to walk into a room and know when the lighting is less-than-optimal. Spaces with harsh lighting may create headaches for employees, and spaces with dim lighting won’t provide for practical needs. But lighting is about more than “too light” or “too dark.” Optimal lighting for office space is about finding the right tone for the right situation.
Lighting Color Temperature & the Human Mind
Researchers believe that our very DNA is wired to work better under certain lighting conditions – so much so that they’ve spent years finding the optimal tone for a given situation. The following is a range of lighting color temperature, as measured by Kelvin (K), and the coinciding mood influences of the different colors:
Warm (2000K – 4000K): Typically used in more casual settings, the warm tone elicits feelings of relaxation and comfort.
Mid (4000K – 5000K): The mid-range color temperature may be used in spaces like conference rooms; areas that benefit from promoting both alertness and a welcoming atmosphere.
Cold (5000K – 7000K): Cold lighting may be utilized in ‘brainstorming rooms’ and general work locations. This light range can improve alertness, productivity, and mood and may lower melatonin levels – a common source of fatigue for employees.
Note that the above range is not a universal answer for design lighting. Every office design is different and may require varying lighting arrangements.
Engaging the Senses for Productivity
Acoustics
Did you know sound can affect memory and emotions? In fact, it’s been proven that sound affects even our perception of depth, speed, and motion. With so much potential for influence, modern architects and designers take sound more seriously than ever as they incorporate their builds. That includes optimal space use for coherent communication among employees, arranging workspaces according to employee interaction needs, as well as generating the best possible acoustics for situations like conference calls and employee training.
Customizing Your Office Space to Meet the Needs of Your Employees
It seems every year experts release new studies on the importance of promoting employee wellbeing. It’s up to office space designers and architects to incorporate expertise and partner with business owners to implement them. At PureAlchemy Design, we know the importance of office space customization. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to the modern office, especially if you’re hoping to improve employee retention. Looking to develop an office buildout or remodel? Give us a call or connect with us online to learn how we can help. You can also visit our design page for more information on the elements of design and eliciting employee engagement.
