- Floor Plan. Although the open space floor plan was originally intended to boost productivity in team meetings, it also allows for little to no privacy. Open floor plans in the office are great for collaborating easily on projects, but not so ideal for those who have assignments that need to be fulfilled independently due to the constant noise and subtle distractions. As you may predict, studies have shown that an open workplace setting lowers office productivity.[1] Another minor detail that many may not think about involves the spreading of germs in an open office floor plan: open office layouts report 62% more sick days than more private settings. Make sure everyone has their own space and feels comfortable completing all of their tasks in their designated areas.
- Lighting. If your employees and coworkers spend the majority of their day looking at a computer screen, lighting should be one of your main concerns. Florescent lighting can be damaging to one’s eyes, particularly when they have to concentrate on an already illuminated screen. If possible, try to incorporate big windows for natural light, or allow colleagues to bring in their own source of light/shading to fit their needs![2]
- Temperature. Believe it or not, temperature affects how quickly the brain functions. Having uncomfortably hot or cool office temperatures can affect the comfortableness which then takes its toll on the productivity and creativity of your constituents; one study shows that an uncomfortable temperature can affect productivity by as much as 2% per degree in Fahrenheit.[3] These effects are highlighted directly after a meal has been consumed, meaning in more uncomfortable temperatures, the afternoons will be noticeably less productive than the mornings. Allowing for your colleagues to bring in fans, blankets, space heaters while maintaining a professional appearance, may have long-term benefits.
- Open relationships. From an intern’s perspective, having coworkers who are willing to share their experiences with you, makes interns more willing to participate in the office setting by taking on more responsibilities and taking their role in the office more seriously. Take a lesson from IOM and invite them to the company’s softball game, take them out to lunch, or just stop by their cube and ask how their day is going. It’s the simple moments that make the largest impact.
- “Dear Diary” method. I recently was taught about a journaling technique designed to focus on participant’s daily accomplishments, which then promotes better time management and organization. In a training session, those who spent 15 minutes at the end of each work day reminding them of what they had learned and accomplished, scored 23% higher on the final test than those who abstained.[4] Moreover, if this reflection method was implemented in a setting where a skill is practiced, there would be a higher likelihood of the skill being successfully completed.
[2] http://www.andrewjensen.net/how-office-lighting-affects-productivity/ ; http://infoscience.epfl.ch/record/174780/files/M%C3%BCnch_BNE_2012.p
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