Did you know that the layout and design of an office space can affect office productivity? According to a massive 250,000 person study conducted by Leesman, an independent assessor of workplace effectiveness, just over 85% of employees surveyed feel that the design of their office space is important, but only about 57% believe that it actually helps increase their overall productivity. Nothing is more detrimental to office productivity than a poor office design. If you are a business owner, it is likely that you want all of your employees to feel as though the space they work in contributes positively to their overall productivity.
If you are planning a commercial construction design and want to ensure that your new space will influence office productivity positively, you will want to focus on some specific building and design elements. At Norwest Contractors, we have office contractors that know the ins and outs of workplace psychology. We can help guarantee that your commercial construction plans take into account how to create the most effective environment for your team. Read on to find out our top tips for increasing office productivity through the use of clever office space construction and design elements.
Focus on Proper Lighting
Any commercial construction project should first take into account the amount of lighting that the building, office spaces, hallways, and other areas will receive. Both natural and artificial light should be considered. Although, natural light should be used whenever possible. Studies on natural light have shown that it not only provides workers with a nice view, but can help mitigate job stress, increase creativity, and improve overall well-being.
If your initial plans for your commercial construction project do not include large windows and skylights, you should consider adding these important features to help enhance office productivity. With our help at Norwest Contracting, we can assist you with including these elements in your office design plans. Our experts can ensure that the design and construction processes will account for natural light to help increase office productivity.
Consider Ways to Reduce Noise
A noisy environment can ultimately hinder office productivity. When considering designs for your commercial construction space, you will want to pay attention to the layout of employee workspaces, where high levels of traffic are most likely to be, as well as materials that can help reduce sound. Our office contractors at Norwest know that any commercial construction project should focus on these main priorities when it comes to noise-reduction:
- Location of Employee Workspaces
It is important that your office space includes both private and collaborative workspaces. Working with our office contractors at Norwest is a great way to ensure that your employees have solitary spaces where they can focus for extended periods of time on their own work, as well as collaborative meeting spaces where multiple employees can come together to work on side projects or other team endeavors. - Look at High and Low Traffic Areas
Considering how employee traffic may influence productivity is another factor our office contractors at Norwest focus on. The right layout for your commercial construction space will make it easier for your employees to pay attention to their work. Private employee workspaces should be kept away from any high-traffic areas, while collaborative spaces can be near high-traffic areas without too much interference on office productivity. - Install Sound-Absorbing Materials
The right materials will help reduce noise in your new office build-out. Our office contractors have a variety of sound-reducing installations you can consider during the planning stages of the commercial construction process, such as acoustic wall panels, noise friendly flooring, and sound-absorbing ceiling panels. Visit our Norwest DesignLab to see these materials for yourself in person.
Choose Colors that Inspire Creativity and Engagement
One of the most fun and exciting phases of any commercial construction project is choosing the paint colors. You may already have a certain color palette in mind that matches your company logo, or you may be considering a completely different look for your office colors altogether. To help you narrow down the best colors to choose during the planning phases of your commercial construction, we’ve compiled a list below of the most popular colors that can help increase office productivity. Once you have narrowed down the best colors for your business, let Norwest Contractors help you find the perfect shade through our DesignLab.
- Blue – Best for Concentration
Blue is a good color choice for office productivity since it promotes clear concentration, focus, and a calm mind. Unlike the color red which can cause a physical reaction, blue is more likely to entice a mental one. Additionally, blue is often a favorite color choice for a majority of people, so you will likely please a lot of your workers by choosing a nice shade of blue as the primary paint color choice. - Red – Best for Evoking Action
While red might work best as an accent color for most business spaces, you might consider painting an entire wall or room with a shade of red. In color psychology, red is known to evoke a sense of excitement, energy, and action. A meeting room, collaborative workspace, or other similar areas might be well-suited for the color red. - Yellow – Best for Innovation
If you want to elicit a sense of confidence and optimism from your team, yellow is the perfect color choice. If you want your office space to be productive, as well as innovative, choosing a yellow theme is a great option. Entrepreneurial and tech start-up industries might benefit most from including the color yellow in their commercial construction plans. - Green – Best for Harmony
Green is a great option if you want to provide a harmonious and refreshing environment for your workers and clients. Yoga studios and doctor’s offices are some good examples of businesses that might choose the color green. Green promotes relaxation, which is important if you want your workforce to feel clear-headed and productive.
Make Room for a Gym or Rock Climbing Wall
It is no secret that regular exercise is good for everyone. Exercise can help reduce stress and elevate one’s general well-being overall. So when it comes to increasing office productivity, you might want to incorporate a gym in with your commercial construction plans. Having a gym on-site at your office space is a great way to lower employee stress, improve their concentration, and offer them a chance to get a workout in during their lunch breaks. Studies have shown that on the days when employees have been able to make it to the gym, they notice they are more productive, have more positive interactions, and are better at time-management while they are at work.
Did you know Google’s offices have a rock climbing wall right on-site? Google employees at their Chelsea, NY location can enjoy a quick climb any time on their indoor rock climbing wall that spans nearly 30 feet across. Having the option to take a break during one’s workday to do something active is a great way to keep your employees happy and healthy.
If you want to go the extra mile for your employees, you might consider a rock climbing wall, yoga studio, or other inventive exercise space. Either way, even a simple gym or exercise area of some kind will do the trick. Be sure to ask our office contractors at Norwest how you can easily incorporate a gym into your commercial building plans.
Bring in Plants
Upon the completion of the general layout of your office space, you will get to move on to filling in all the details that will make your building unique and ultimately help increase office productivity. During this stage, you should include plants as much as possible while you are decorating your office space. In fact, workplace studies have shown that the presence of plants can help increase office productivity by up to 15%.
When you work with our office contractors at Norwest, we will help find the right plants that fit your new office space perfectly. Nothing can make a workspace more inviting, friendly, or productive as plants can. Bringing some nature into your commercial construction plans is always preferable, and we can help you find beautiful plants that are easy to take care of and fit your office space style.
Norwest Contractors is Here to Help!
Our commercial contractors know that the productivity level of your workforce is important for business success. With our help, we can guarantee that your new office space will be full of natural light, colors that evoke productivity, and spaces that allow for both collaborative and focused work. Come visit Norwest Contractors and we’ll give you a tour of our DesignLab. We’ll show you a variety of colors, finishes, flooring options, and other design elements to help ensure that your workspace exceeds your expectations. Office productivity isn’t hard to achieve — you just need the right contractor to help!
Call Norwest Contractors today at 503-291-6986 or fill out a contact form online!
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