Office Design Tips to Reduce Stress
Despite all the ways this pandemic has normalized working from home, 3 in 4 workers hope to return to an office sooner than later. We need to recognize that offices can be distracting and sometimes unintentionally create stressful environments. As an employer, you can help the well-being of your workers and avoid office stress by making the right choices in office design. Here are our best tips for how to reduce workplace stress through improved office design.
What are some office design tips to reduce stress?
- Allow personalized space.
Allow employees to customize their workspace with things that bring them joy. Customization can involve things like family photos, artwork or even allowing a converting stand up desk.
- Create common areas for employees to get together while socially distancing.
Feeling like you are chained to your desk can be unbelievably stressful. Give employees freedom to move around by creating multiple work environments. Some examples are having a section for standing desks, a room with couches for brainstorming and collaboration or a breakroom with snacks. Sometimes a simple act of changing locations can provide a fresh perspective on your employees work.
- Decorate with creative and motivational décor.
Decorate your office with items that align with your brand and the overall vibe of your business. This will help to cultivate a sense of purpose when your employees are at work. Remember to stay on brand and think about colors when planning you décor.
- Create multiple workstations or areas.
Breakout areas have grown in popularity in recent years as employers recognize the benefit of providing different spaces for different type of work. Creating separate spaces where staff can either have informal meetings, work in a different environment, or simply take a break, gives people the ability to work in a space that suits their mood. This goes a long way to alleviate stress for employees who feel tied to their desk.
- Use a splash of color.
Decorating your office in colorful accents can positively impact your employees’ moods. Bright colors can help to energize and inspire creativity amongst your employees. Try red which stimulates cognitive activity, yellow promotes creativity or green which brings a sense of relaxation. Artwork with a dominant color has been found to have a profound impact on reducing stress in the workplace.
- Bring the outside in.
Greenery in or around the workplace is extremely beneficial for employees. Incorporating greenery into office design reduces stress and employees reported significantly less perceived stress and stress-related health complaints. Greenery also aids concentration and increases productivity. Office plants help purify and humidify the air, where an attractive outdoor area invites employees to take lunch break walks.
- Declutter your workspace.
Studies have found that clutter can raise your level of the stress hormone, which if left unchecked can lead to anxiety, depression, headaches, and sleep disruption. The problem with clutter is over-stimulation and that makes concentrating extremely difficult.
By using the office design tips above, you can create an office that reduces stress, increase levels of productivity of employees and have a staff that wants to spend more time at the office. With Rosetti Properties you can get fully custom office space and create a space all your own. Contact Rosetti today to schedule a tour and see how we can make a space work for you!