What Staff Want in an Office: Our Key Tips

Whether you’re planning a whole new office or simply upgrading your existing one, it’s so important to consider the needs of your staff. Not only does this help with retention, it helps ensure you’re providing the best possible environment which will ultimately boost productivity.

Every workplace is different which means there are no universal answers for this. However, there are a few key trends that run throughout offices, so here’s our roundup of what staff want in an office…

Never underestimate the power of a good cup of coffee. Yes, this may not be the first thing on your list when kitting out your space but the benefit this can have on staff morale shouldn’t be ignored. Coffee can be the perfect ‘wake me up’ during a mid afternoon slump – ideal for getting the productivity going again.

Kitchens are also known to be excellent breeding grounds for new ideas, so why not set up a few tables and chairs too? This will provide the perfect space away from the desk for a little downtime or informal meetings.

It goes without saying really that your staff need to be comfortable, particularly in desk based jobs. That’s why getting your ergonomics right for each individual is paramount.

By investing a little more in chairs and desks, you’ll help prevent health complaints and reduce absenteeism levels in the long run. Shop around and find the furniture suitable for your staff as an uncomfortable set up can really hamper productivity.

With the growth in demand for remote working, staff needs, like business needs, are changing. If you have a remote workforce then investing in ipads and smaller laptops will go a long way when it comes to staff satisfaction.

Nobody wants to lug a bulky laptop around. It goes without saying really that providing the right tools will only boost productivity.

You know the feeling when you’re sat twiddling your thumbs waiting for a page to load. It’s frustrating – especially as our internet speed expectations are much higher now. Being able to handle large downloads and video files is a must for many so having the infrastructure in place to deal with this is vital.

You don’t want your employees enduring daily frustration so ensuring you invest in good connectivity will no doubt boost efficiency.

This is becoming an increasingly popular feature in offices; creating a space for staff to have informal meetings or just to get away from the desk. Staff benefit from having a place to work away from the desk as it caters for a range of different working styles. Some people are much more productive in an informal setting and others just like a place they can work quietly.

These spaces can really help give your office extra personality and you can go as vibrant and out there as you like. Why not speak to your staff and ask what they’d like to see? If they have input, chances are, they’ll use the space even more.

Studies have shown that people are more productive in spaces with a bit of personality. Although minimalism can be the go to for simple office design, clinical white desks and walls are uninspiring for staff.

Inject some colour by adding potted plants, picture frames and quirky furniture. This can be done no matter how big or small your budget is. Check out Pinterest as a starting point, you’ll be surprised how little changes can make all the difference.

Having somewhere away from the desk to make a drink or eat lunch is ideal for staff. No matter how busy you are, it’s important to take a clear break away from the desk, so an accessible kitchen/canteen area ticks this box.

We’re not talking about a kitchen fit for Gordon Ramsay, just a simple, clean environment with basic necessities like a toaster, kettle and cutlery. We built a nice kitchen space for TopCashback during their office fit out.

Keeping your employees happy is actually pretty straightforward, it’s just a case of making sure that they feel comfortable at work and a little investment to make this happen will show clear correlations with increased productivity.

We’ve prepared a detailed guide to moving office if you’re planning on moving premises completely, you can download it here.

If you’re looking for an office refurbishment, however, we’ll be happy to talk you through the process behind it and we even offer a free office design service to help you visualise how your new office could look.

Give us a call on 0115 939 7572 to book a free site visit.