It’s unfortunate that many people associate the workplace with lots of stress. Coming to work doesn’t need to be a stress-inducing situation. As the manager or boss of a workplace, it’s important for you to set the tone in the workplace. The best way you can do this is through encouraging and facilitating a Zen-like atmosphere in the office. There are a few ways you can make this happen.
1. Light
There’s something about natural light that’s very calming and inspiring. When you’re in a workplace setting, there’s nothing like feeling inspired to work hard and produce a quality deliverable. Make it a habit of opening all the blinds and allowing sunlight to come in. On days when the weather permits, open the windows and allow fresh air to come in. If your workspace doesn’t have windows, switch out the light bulbs. Most offices are fully stocked with florescent lighting. Fluorescent lighting may be cheaper, but it can easily zap a person’s mood. Try softer, incandescent lights for a better ambiance.
2. Scent
In an office space that’s shared, it’s important to avoid really strong scents. You may not know what irritates a person or what they might be allergic to. Try to infuse neutral scents into the air. Avoid scents that involve peppermint, cinnamon or vanilla. Try to stick with scents like water or cotton-scented. Many plug-ins come in these neutral scents. Opening the windows for fifteen minutes every day is also good for air circulation. You never want the air to become stale in your environment.
3. Cleanliness
When a place is dirty, this immediately brings down the morale and doesn’t help people focus. It’s hard to work in a cluttered space. If the trash is piling up in the trashcan and the kitchen area is filthy, people will subconsciously find it difficult to produce quality work when they’re in a disgusting environment. Hire a cleaning service to clean up the office every single night. It’s imperative to keep the work areas clean and sanitary.
4. Organization
When the filing systems are disorganized and books are haphazardly strewn across a bookshelf, you have an issue with visual distractions. Consider hiring a person to come in and completely declutter. There’s no need for papers and junk to pile up in any corner of the office. Encourage your employees to avoid hoarding work materials and junk. Try to move toward a completely electronic system to cut down on a large paper trail.
These four efforts will make a dramatic difference in the experience your employees have in the office. Over a period of time, you’ll notice a big difference in the morale as well as the productivity level.
Hannah Whittenly is a freelance writer and mother of two from Sacramento, CA. She enjoys kayaking and reading books by the lake. For your office cleaning needs, she recommends Comclean Australia.
