It can be difficult to find the right employees for your business. Once you bring them on board, you’ll hope that they stay with you for as long as possible. Replacing employees can be expensive, and can just more broadly have a negative impact on productivity and progress.
There are, of course, plenty of things that contribute to a worker staying in their role rather than finding new employment. One such determining factor is the quality of the working environment. If you have in-office staff, then it’ll be much easier to keep them happy if they enjoy being in the space where they have to spend so much of their lives.
Businesses that take the time to create a welcoming, enjoyable work environment are more likely to have a manageable staff retention rate. Below, we’ll run through some key key steps that will elevate the overall energy of your office.
Brand Culture
You can’t expect your brand culture to just develop on its own. Or rather, you shouldn’t. It will develop in one way or another, but it might not be the way that you hope! Workplaces can become toxic pretty quickly, and at that point, it’ll be no surprise if employees are looking to leave.
It’s easier to establish your brand culture in the early days of a business, but you can also do so later on if you decide that things need to change. This article offers some handy tips on how to do it.
Bright, Light, and Green
It’s much easier to be happy if we feel positive about our environment. If your office is overly dark, grim, and just generally not a pleasant place to be, then you can’t be too surprised if the mood is a little off. On the other hand, if a space is bright, light, and full of plants, then people will find it easier to be in a good mood. It’s that simple! You can’t make the sun shine, but you can ensure that it can enter your space when the sun is out. Try to avoid bulky furniture, maximize the window space, and paint the walls a bright color — it’ll help to reflect light around the space. Adding some plants that are easy to look after will also help to elevate the overall environment.
Friendly, Familiar Faces
Having an aesthetically enjoyable office will be a good starting point. But if your employees don’t know each other, then it’ll be inevitable that the office feels a little awkward. This is especially true for new members of staff, who will feel much more comfortable if their coworkers aren’t a mystery. It’s recommended to invest in some magnetic ID badge clips and give each member of staff an ID badge. This is good for security purposes, but it’ll also be an easy way for people to learn each other's names. It’s much nicer to work in a space where it feels like people know each other, rather than a space that feels like a number of individuals.
Space to Talk
Of course, allowing people to broadly know each other should just be the starting point. The more opportunities people have to talk, the better their relationship will be — and the better the overall vibe will be. It’s recommended to incorporate social spaces within the office that will allow employees to easily have conversations. Could you add a space that allows workers to each lunch together, for example? This won’t only elevate the connections of workers, but it can also lead to benefits for the business, such as enhanced collaboration and creativity. It’s a win-win situation.
Overall Quality
It would be nice if you could organize your office just once. However, as with your home, your workspace will require ongoing work to ensure it’s fully up to standard. Workers notice when offices begin to fall into a state of disrepair, and that can have ripple effects on how they perceive your brand. Non-functioning appliances, out-of-service areas, and general dirt and grime have no place in modern workplaces. Depending on the size of your facility, you may consider hiring a full-time cleanliness and maintenance team. Alternatively, you may hire an individual cleaner and schedule regular maintenance tasks, much in the same way you would with your property.
Conclusion
As a business owner, the quality of your workspace may not be your most pressing concern. However, it does have a real impact on worker productivity, and for that reason, it’s best to take the time to ensure it’s in tip-top condition.
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