A productive working environment is the cornerstone of any successful business, regardless of the industry or size of the company. The best offices in the world all have one thing in common: whether it’s due to the natural light, comfortable working conditions or employee perks, people actually want to spend time there.
When it comes to your office, however, it can feel like you’re doing everything right but your team still isn’t working efficiently. It’s easy to blame your workers for their lack of productivity, but you shouldn’t underestimate the importance of a happy workspace. Therefore, if you want your office to work like clockwork, you need to lay the groundwork.
So what should you do when your workspace just isn’t working? Here are three possible reasons why your office is not productive, and how you can turn things around.
Your Business Needs Leaders
The workforce is constantly evolving, and there is an increasing need for talent across the board. While once upon a time, a paycheck was enough to compensate workers, people now expect more from their jobs. They want to know they’re making a difference, and they need to feel both inspired and appreciated in what they do. For your employees to work productively, you need positive visionaries at the helm. Forget authority figures – you should have strong leaders looking after your team so that the business takes care of itself in your absence.
Your Office Lacks Privacy
There are many upsides to the modern, open-plan office, but what these spaces tend to lack is privacy. No one can work well when they’re surrounded by constant noise and conversation, and in shared workspaces, these distractions are everywhere, from social media alerts and email notifications to the sound of the coffee machine and chatter around the water cooler. If you want your employees to get more done, you need to provide a private space for important phone calls or uninterrupted work to take place. Sound-absorbing office phone booths from Cubicall have enough space for privacy in even the smallest office, and they’re easy to assemble in less than 45 minutes.
You Don’t Offer Flexibility
We live in highly innovative times with some of the most advanced technology at our fingertips, yet many of us are still buying into the nine-to-five myth. Does your business need to operate during strict hours, or could you afford your employees a little flexibility? There’s a lot to be said about mandatory office hours undermining productivity, so it’s worth considering a different approach. Sweden recently trialed a 30 hour work week, and there is plenty of evidence to suggest that shorter working hours could make employers and employees healthier, happier and more productive. Of course, no one’s suggesting your business can afford such a change, but the fact of the matter is that 66% of American workers feel they would be more productive working at home at least some of the time. With so many resources available to us, there is certainly a case for employees to work smarter instead of harder.
