A comfortable office is essential
Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2007 5:00 pmComfortable Employees are More Efficient
A comfortable office is essential for efficiency and quality work. Employees can't give their best if their chairs are hard, the light insufficient, screens the wrong height and the room stuffy or cold.
You don't need to spend a lot but you do need to make sure that the basics are covered. These include:
Chairs - are they comfortable for each employee. What one likes another may not. Height matters, as does girth. Make sure that everyone has a chair they can comfortably sit in and work from.
Desks - does everyone have enough space? It's hard to work if you're bumping into someone everytime you try to move the mouse. Everyone should have a large enough work area for their monitor, notebook, cup of tea, stack of papers and a bit of elbow room.
Monitors - is it the right height? Is it adjusted properly? Can the screen be read comfortably by the person using it. Again, everyone is different and not only does height matter here but also eyesight. Contact lens wearers and those that are even slightly colour blind will need to be careful not to strain their eyes so proper adjustment of monitor's height and properties is important.
Lighting - is it bright enough, not too bright and not glaring on the monitors? This is basic but absolutely essential to a comfortable work environment. Look at everyone's monitors during different times of the day to make sure everyone is able to see the screen easily regardless of where the sun is.
Heating and Air Conditioning - If it's too cold I ball up, too hot and I can't think. Everyone works faster, more efficiently and with fewer mistakes if the room is well aired and at a comfortable temperature. Open the windows when everyone goes out for lunch. Use fans, portable aircons or heaters. If using central heating radiators ensure that you've got humidifiers. Stuffy, overly hot rooms, especially when radiators are in use, can cause severe headaches.
Space - even in the smallest of offices there are ways of making sure everyone has at least a bit of personal space. Declutter, make efficient use of cupboards and filing cabinets and try to ensure that everyone has a bit of desk to call their own.
Employees who enjoy a comfortable work environment tend to work harder, take fewer sick days, experience less stress and are better focussed. It's well worth the effort.
A comfortable office is essential for efficiency and quality work. Employees can't give their best if their chairs are hard, the light insufficient, screens the wrong height and the room stuffy or cold.
You don't need to spend a lot but you do need to make sure that the basics are covered. These include:
Chairs - are they comfortable for each employee. What one likes another may not. Height matters, as does girth. Make sure that everyone has a chair they can comfortably sit in and work from.
Desks - does everyone have enough space? It's hard to work if you're bumping into someone everytime you try to move the mouse. Everyone should have a large enough work area for their monitor, notebook, cup of tea, stack of papers and a bit of elbow room.
Monitors - is it the right height? Is it adjusted properly? Can the screen be read comfortably by the person using it. Again, everyone is different and not only does height matter here but also eyesight. Contact lens wearers and those that are even slightly colour blind will need to be careful not to strain their eyes so proper adjustment of monitor's height and properties is important.
Lighting - is it bright enough, not too bright and not glaring on the monitors? This is basic but absolutely essential to a comfortable work environment. Look at everyone's monitors during different times of the day to make sure everyone is able to see the screen easily regardless of where the sun is.
Heating and Air Conditioning - If it's too cold I ball up, too hot and I can't think. Everyone works faster, more efficiently and with fewer mistakes if the room is well aired and at a comfortable temperature. Open the windows when everyone goes out for lunch. Use fans, portable aircons or heaters. If using central heating radiators ensure that you've got humidifiers. Stuffy, overly hot rooms, especially when radiators are in use, can cause severe headaches.
Space - even in the smallest of offices there are ways of making sure everyone has at least a bit of personal space. Declutter, make efficient use of cupboards and filing cabinets and try to ensure that everyone has a bit of desk to call their own.
Employees who enjoy a comfortable work environment tend to work harder, take fewer sick days, experience less stress and are better focussed. It's well worth the effort.