5 Office Décor Ideas
In the same way that your home décor can impact your mood, so can the environment in which you work. Everything from mental wellbeing to physical health can be affected by office design, and in turn, this can influence the bottom line of your business. For the sake of your employees and your company as a whole, you need to consider your office décor extensively.
Colour can have a big impact on mood, with certain shades being said to improve productivity, calmness, creativity and focus. Whilst colour plays an important role in the way an office is styled, it isn’t the only aspect of décor that you need to consider.
If your office is in need of a refresh, we’ve put together five ideas that are proven to have a positive effect on workplace morale.
- Plants
Humans are hardwired to appreciate nature, and this is perfectly exemplified in an office environment. According to the Human Spaces 2015 report, employees who worked in offices with live plants were 6% more productive, and they also reported a 15% boost in overall wellbeing. Couple this with the fact that plants have been proven to reduce stress levels and bring down noise pollution levels, it’s clear that introducing greenery to your working space is only ever a good thing.
In addition to the aforementioned points, it’s been reported that offices that are green-certified have 30% fewer employee sickness absences. This could be attributed to improved levels of air quality. Plants absorb pollution in the air and make an environment feel fresher and cleaner, reducing respiratory issues and headaches.
If not for all the positives listed above, you should consider incorporating plants into your office décor for the simple reason they look great! They’re a good way to personalise an office space, especially if you’re renting a semi-serviced or serviced office space.
- Light
Working in a dark environment is not conducive to productivity, nor is it good for the physical health of your employees, either. According to a Northwestern University report, people who work in an office with plenty of natural light sleep – on average – an extra 46 minutes per night compared to those who work in a windowless environment.
There are strong links between quality of sleep and physical wellbeing, as well as work performance. Those who do not get enough sleep may struggle to concentrate, remember things and communicate with their colleagues, making it all the more important to rent an office space with plenty of natural light and windows.
- Colour
There have been countless studies conducted into how colour affects mood and mental wellbeing, specifically in the workplace. There are a number of colours that have been proven to boost productivity and output within the office, so it makes sense to incorporate them into your office décor.
Blue is said to be calming, so it’s a good option for sales offices and other high-stress environments. In contrast, red raises the heart rate and evokes strong emotions, so it might be best to steer clear from this at work.
Green is associated with efficiency, and it’s also easy on the eyes so works well in offices with lots of screens which are not good for eye health. Creatives often utilise yellow in their workspace because it has been proven to boost creativity and innovation, so if you’re in the media industry, this is a good décor decision.
- Artwork
Colour can have a big impact on employees moods, but a single block of colour isn’t interesting to look at. Artwork can help break up large, empty walls and spark a newfound sense of productivity. A study conducted by the University of Exeter found that those who worked in an office with art and plants worked 15% faster than those who worked in a plain office with nothing but the tools required for them to do their jobs. In addition, 78% of those surveyed said that artwork in their place of work reduced stress levels.
Stress can have a hugely negative effect on people’s physical and mental health, and it is a driving factor behind employee absences. Any way you can reduce stress should be implemented, and that could mean adding artwork into your office décor.
- Storage
Décor is about much more than just the way your office looks. According to a NAPO study, 80% of office clutter is due to poor organisation and not a lack of space. If proper storage were implemented, employees could save up to four hours a week that would otherwise be lost looking for missing papers and misplaced items.
When coming up with office décor ideas, make sure you consider proper storage. This means efficient filing, clearly labelled drawers and giving each employee the provisions needed to keep their area tidy and clutter-free. In fact, 57% of people said that they feel more motivated when their working space is clean and free of distractions.
Find an Office Space Today
Implementing effective office designs can be expensive. Save yourself the hassle and the money by hiring one of our serviced office spaces. They are designed with productivity and comfort in mind, you can rest easy knowing that your working space is guaranteed to get the most out of your team. To find out more about our flexible office solutions, please contact us.