How does office design affect productivity?

Workplace design can be overlooked when trying to solve the causes of low productivity. Here are four key areas employers should be focusing on

Low productivity has been a near-constant worry for UK organisations of all shapes and sizes since the 2008 financial crisis. The 2017 Skills and Employment Survey, released in October 2018, found that although British people are working harder and faster than ever, their productivity continues to stagnate.

Workplace design can be overlooked when it comes to analysing the causes of low productivity. A well-planned workspace can make it easier for people to complete tasks more quickly and effectively, work together more collaboratively and creatively, and have a positive effect on their health, wellbeing, and engagement.

Here are four key aspects of office design that can affect productivity – for better, or for worse. 

1. Personal workspaces

For many employees, a disorganised, chaotic workspace makes it more difficult and time-consuming to tackle their to-do list. Others may prefer a messier environment; a 2017 study by the University of Minnesota suggests that ‘creative geniuses’ prefer a cluttered, busy workspace.

If you want to streamline and simplify your workspace, consider:

• Filing digital and paper documents in an organised system of folders. Swapping your HR filing cabinet for a specialist HR system is a great first step to decluttering your office space
• Keep the items you use most frequently close by, and tidy away…