For most people, the word “work” is not associated with many good feelings. In fact, a lot of people dread going to work, and the daily drudgery it inspires is a culturally and socially accepted fact.
This, however, is bad news for employers. Unhappy employees make for more sick days, reduced quality, and lower retention rates. That’s one reason why there has been a recent rise in telecommuting. A study of more than 1,000 professionals showed that 65% allowed their employees to work remotely, and 80% of employees see the option to work remotely as a job perk.
But sometimes, working in the office is essential for team building and team efforts, and that doesn’t have cause misery in the workplace! Check out these fun office solutions for engaging workers and getting your employees excited to come to the office:
Consider a Different Floor Plan
The way your office space is arranged could have a very real effect on the way your team works. Even the very act of a change could be stimulating and interesting. For this one, getting feedback is conducive to getting it right the first time. Help your employees form a committee to rearrange the office, and account for some new office furniture in your budget. If you have a closed plan, opening it up a little could do wonders for communication, and if your open one is too open, giving some people some privacy could really boost their productivity.
Treat Yourselves
Sometimes, all it takes to get through a long week is to keep your sights fixed on something exciting. Make Friday (or even Thursday) an exciting goal by providing a treat for your employees, whether it be a catered lunch, a work happy hour in the late afternoon, or a small award ceremony with prizes for the super productive that week. Some offices even subsidize a masseuse to come in and give short, cheap massages to your employees! Office solutions should be as much about well-being as they are about productivity.
Be More Flexible
Even if your office and work isn’t conducive to working at home all the time, figuring out some way to allow for at least a little telecommuting might be worth it –after all, nearly six out of 10 employers identify cost savings as a big benefit of employees working remotely. Rent a virtual office so that on the occasions you allow work-from-home, everybody has access to all the files they need to productively participate.
Take your employees, and their health and happiness seriously! Creative office solutions could make all of the difference.
