Workplace stress costs businesses an estimated $300 billion in productivity loss and health care expenses every year. A big part of the problem comes from having a negative work environment. Poor working environments causes 87% of workers to feel emotionally disconnected from their workplace, which leads to decreased productivity and higher stress levels.
A well-ventilated and well-lit office can increase employee productivity by up to 16%, raise job satisfaction by up to 24%, and reduce absenteeism. Office for rent facilities like Common Desk provide collaborative work spaces that are conducive to productivity and creativity.
Having said that, an office environment is not limited to its facade. Intangible aspects such as culture, leadership, communication, and collaboration aso shape the way employees behave and interact in the workplace. Creating a positive work environment drives your employee productivity and, more often than not, improves bottom-line performance.
Here are some benefits of a good work environment.
- Happier Workers
A study by economists from the University of Warwick shows that employee happiness correlates to a 12 to 20% increase in productivity. Conversely, unhappiness corresponds to a 10% drop in work performance.
Build a happier work environment by acknowledging achievements and providing constructive criticism. 67% of employees are happier and more productive when managers notice their performance.
Also, pay attention to work-life balance. Workplace stress is one of the biggest indicators of poor performance. On the other hand, job satisfaction and well-being encourages productivity and creativity.
- Less Interruptions
23.4% of workers cited socializing with co-workers as the second leading office distraction. Workplace interruptions occur every 3 minutes on average (Washington Post). This corresponds to over 6 hours a day or 31 hours a week worth of distractions. What is more, regaining concentration after being distracted can take up to 24 minutes.
Good work environments reinforce the need for privacy and personal time. Create guidelines for office interruptions and reinforce concentrated work hours. Discouraging workplace interruptions can increase employee productivity by up to 60%.
- Better Employee Engagement
Engaged employees bring in up to 28% more revenue than their disengaged counterparts. On the other hand, disengaged employees reported 37% more absences, 49% more accidents, and 60% more lapses and errors.
Keep your team engaged by developing a good feedback system and a culture of learning. Employees that receive constructive criticism and positive feedback on a regular basis are 20 times more likely to have engaged at work. Moreover, organizations with strong learning cultures enjoy a 37% boost in employee productivity.
- Less Health Hazards
The modern workplace has become a stressful, almost dangerous environment. Employees under workplace duress report neck-pain, hand and wrist pain, stressed-out eyes, and insomnia.
Slow down. Your employees are people, not workhorses.
Top-performers tend to intersperse 52-minute periods of concentrated work with deliberate 17-minute breaks. Incorporating regular rest periods helps workers brush off stress and regain concentration. Although it sounds counterproductive, giving your employees some idle time actually encourages creativity and drives productivity. As Richard Branson said: “Take care of your employees and they’ll take care of you!”
Be the type of leader that works alongside employees. A shared office allows you to manage your team more closely and shows that you can lead by example.
