Lucy - BQ Magazine EditorIf you, as a business leader, have always wondered how you can create a more comfortable working environment, it comes down to thinking about and talking to your employees. The best way to learn what they need the most is to ask them how they feel when they’re at work. It’s important that people feel like they are irreplaceable and that they want to come to work, and it’s on you to make sure they feel that way.
How to Create a Comfortable Work Environment
People want to work somewhere they feel physically comfortable and whether that means finding evaporative coolers for sale and investing, or it means opening a window from time to time, comfort is key. People don’t want to go and work in an environment they don’t feel comfortable in and it’s on you to ensure that they do. With that in mind, we’ve put together a short list of things that you could be doing to create a more comfortable and happier working environment.
Offer comfortable seating
You cannot expect people to do their best work if they’re sitting on hard wooden chairs or even the floor. It’s not just the chairs that you have to buy either, it’s the proximity to the desks and whether some people feel more comfortable standing while they work. If you give people options, they will always appreciate the fact that you’re taking into consideration more than one point of view. If you were hosting a meeting, you’d want all of your meeting attendees to be comfortable while people speak, and it’s no different for your employees.
Temperature options
Some people prefer to be cooler when they work and others prefer to be warmer. You can choose to have different sides of the office where people can sit in co-op workspaces on opposite ends so that they can work comfortably in the temperature that they choose. Other people would love to be in an environment with the air conditioning on. You have to consider what people need and find a happy medium. If you need to keep the office called because of plant life or any other bio reasons, then think about making sure that you’re providing scarves and blankets or allowing people to work from home.
Think about the decor that you are using
Calming office decor and colours can make a big difference to the way people work. You don’t want things to be too chaotic and a modern office with natural light will always encourage people to do their best work and you’ll reduce illnesses and headaches as a result. Calming plants, warm colours and neutrality all matter in an office.
Make it secure
If you want people to feel comfortable at work, especially women, then you have to have security from the moment they park their cars in the car park until they get to their desks. This can be in the form of lighting, cameras, and even having a security guard on site. If people don’t feel secure coming to the office then they’re going to struggle wanting to work for your business and you need to put your employees’ needs first.