A happy and successful business begins with your staff and clients. If you want to keep the morale of your staff and visitors to your office high, you need to look at the atmosphere of your office and how welcoming it seems. If you’ve noticed your staff are unhappy or clients are reluctant to come into your office, then it’s time to start looking at how you can make your office more welcoming.
Businesses thrive on a good reputation, and your office is likely the first place you meet new clients. We all know that first impressions matter, so let’s take a look at how you can ensure yours is the best it can be.
What you can expect in this article:
Look at the layout
The layout of your office needs to show fun and welcoming when people enter your office. It should be an aesthetically pleasing layout that lets people know that you mean business as soon as they walk through the door. Having mismatched furniture that’s placed in odd arrangements or bright fluorescent lights that hurt the eyes isn’t going to help.
Think about your arrangement carefully and readjust to ensure people feel comfortable and welcome when they enter your office.
Think about the senses
Next you need to think about how your office affects the senses. As mentioned above, lighting that’s too bright or even too dim isn’t ideal. Think about these things:
What’s the noise level like?
Surrounding offices or outside traffic can affect the productivity in your office. If you do notice noise, insulate your windows and add thicker furnishings to drown out the noise. You may also think of adding an AC unit in the summer so you can work in the cool without the added noise.
How warm is your office?
Nobody likes an office that’s too warm or too cool, and getting the balance just right isn’t always easy. Replacing any rubber strips around your windows and doors to prevent drafts and keeping radiators at an optimal temperature could be your answer here.
Are there any unusual smells?
Food from staff lunches or other surrounding offices may make its way into your office. Plug in a neutral and gentle air freshener to keep things smelling fresh in your office.
Consider your colour palette
While bold and bright can certainly leave an impression, your colour palette is something important to consider. Certain colours affect the mood of your staff and clients, so consider this carefully when picking out your colour palette. On the other hand, you may find plain and neutral walls too boring and generic.
Instead of using bright colours on the walls, consider bringing in artwork to add a pop of colour and spark creativity.
Bring nature inside
Finally, bringing some nature inside in the form of potted plants will always be a winning choice in an office setting. Plants are known to reduce stress, keep the air fresher, and help make your office feel more inviting. Place plants around your office for an overall healthier and happier office setting!