Based on his experience at Chiswick Park, our CEO, Matt Coulson, will be sharing his thoughts and advice about creating the optimum work environment in a series of short features. These will explore the concept of productive workplaces and productive workspaces.
As the second in the series, this article is all about maximising indoor space.The outdoor environment plays a huge part in productivity at work, but the indoor space is just as important when it comes to creating productive workplaces.
Indoor space is directly linked to the user journey. It’s hugely important to make sure you and your team have a fully functional and diverse environment inside your building to help boost productivity. The architecture of buildings themselves can help create a productive environment. For example, glass window like the ones here at Chiswick Park, help to bring the outside in. Plus, maximizing natural light is an absolute design lighting must.
IT’S HUGELY IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE YOU AND YOUR TEAM HAVE A FULLY FUNCTIONAL AND DIVERSE ENVIRONMENT INSIDE YOUR BUILDING TO HELP BOOST PRODUCTIVITY.
The quality of air within the office can have a significant impact on your employees’ health and, in turn, their productivity. Managing the right temperature is key all year round. You want the indoor environment to be as effective and controlled as it can be.
Fresh air or ventilation within the office is essential. Adequate ventilation helps reduce the spread of viruses and therefore contributes to people feeling well at work. It’s also great to have sensors that track the C02 in your office to make sure that there is sufficient oxygen air supply.
The more technology improves, the smarter the buildings will get. Technology does come at a cost, but it’s hugely effective in creating an optimum environment within a building. That’s what we are thriving for at Chiswick Park. However, this is much easier to achieve in newer buildings compared to older buildings, because the technology is more advanced.
The office should be a comfortable space. The use of correct ergonomics will reduce muscle fatigue and increase productivity. Standing desks are now a normal set-up in any office structure, and so they should be. As human beings we are physically built to be stood on two feet, not to be sat on a chair. There is a time and place to sit and concentrate, but I challenge everyone to have a go at standing to realise how quickly we can be more productive just by getting on our feet. The office also needs the right breakout areas, creative spaces for brainstorming or informal meeting areas, etc.
All these components need to come together to create that optimum environment for you to be successful as a business and then within that business creating those little areas for each of your people to be productive and enjoy the work they are doing.
