Have you ever realized that you are more productive in certain areas of your home or office? If so, you are not alone. Where your desk is can boost productivity and make all the difference for you and your employees’ motivation at work. There is a direct link between the environment in which we work and how productive we are. This means that the choices a business owner makes about the office space will have a big impact on their team’s output.
How can the location of office desks boost productivity?
When it comes to setting up an office space for success, there are many things to consider: what type of furniture is the right choice, sitting or standing desks, remote or onsite workforce, creating the ultimate conference room, amongst so many other crucial decisions that can make all the difference in your office and for your organization.
You may not have considered it before, but furniture placement is just as important as finding the right office furniture for your office space. We all know that we are creatures of our environment, and that is no different when it comes to your office. Poorly lit, cluttered, chaotic spaces are likely to produce negative results.
Studies have found that being close to a window may be one of the best things in an office.
While you have likely considered some of the more elaborate workplace trends to increase productivity, like adding treadmills, nap pods, game tables, etc., you may not have considered perhaps one of the simplest things you can do to enhance your office and workforce; add natural light, if possible, to desk areas.
A survey by Future Workplace, called “The Employee Experience”, reveals that access to natural light and views of the outdoors are the number one attributes of the workplace environment, outranking things like onsite cafeterias, fitness centers, and premium perks including on-site childcare.
The study also found that the absence of natural light and outdoor views hurts the employee experience. Over a third of employees feel that they don’t get enough natural light in their workspace. 47% of employees admit they feel tired or very tired from the absence of natural light or a window at their office, and 43% report feeling gloomy because of the lack of light (Harvard Business Review).
In another study, The Daylight and Workplace Study, conducted by Cornell University’s Dr. Alan Hedge, found that workers seated by a window, that optimized natural light, reported an 84% drop in symptoms of eyestrain, headaches and blurred vision; all symptoms associated with computer vision syndrome (aka, digital eye strain) caused by prolonged screen use. The study also found that these workers noted a 2% boost in productivity, and a 10% decrease in drowsiness.
How can you improve natural light in your office space?
While where your desk is can boost productivity, and we now understand that having natural light is key, not all offices were designed with windows and natural light in mind. You may be limited by your office space. There are still some things that you can do to try and help increase the outdoor lighting in your space.
- Remove obstructions in front of windows. This includes removing plants, blinds, files, and really anything that is blocking light from coming in.
- Rearrange seating to ensure people are getting as much natural light as possible. Reconfigure desk locations to try and place as many people in front of and near windows as you can. Ensure computer screens aren’t blocking out the light.
- Install additional windows, if you have that option. This is a more extreme choice, but if you have the opportunity to install skylights, even those can greatly help.
- If you can’t add additional windows and your space lacks natural lighting, encourage employees to work outdoors or go for walks throughout the day.
Where your desk is can boost productivity and natural lighting is perhaps the most important factor. As you design and select office furniture for your space, you should keep this in mind. It can make all the difference.
At Office Furniture Warehouse we can help you create your dream office space.
You won’t have to go it alone either, with our team of experts, you’ll have the advice you need every step of the way. Our designers can help you select the right furniture for your office needs. From looking at your current workspace and layout, we can create a plan and design to help you find the exact look you want.
Visit one of our showrooms in Cleveland or Akron, today!