As professionals, many of us spend more time working and in our workplace than anywhere else. Up until last year, when we shifted to working remotely, we often logged in 60+ hours in the office.
With the prospect of a return to normalcy, many professionals are looking forward to a near-future return to the office. This is why finding a way to make your workplace a dream environment is one of the smartest ways to attract talent, ignite creativity, and inspire innovation.
Here are 5 ways to get the office environment that is a great place to work.
Hire a Great Team
The first step for a creative environment is having the right people. Hiring a great team is essential for building your company and achieving your vision.
While attracting talented professionals is key, many experts advise looking for the overall mix of personalities. If one person is extremely experienced yet egotistical, they could do more harm than good for the group dynamic.
Encourage Socializing
We’ve been social distancing, working remotely, and getting by with zoom meetings. It’s no wonder that we’re looking forward to things, which previously seemed like nothing special. Talking with a colleague over coffee. Meeting in the hallway to share an idea. Connecting up after work for drinks, a walk, and a catch-up.
All these ways of socializing have been severely curtailed. If you want to make your office a happy place, encourage your staff to make up for lost time. You’ll find that socializing is one of the best ways to boost team morale.
Reward Creativity
Creativity is kind of like a seed. You can have the best seeds, but they still need water, soil, fertilizing, and nurturing. While creativity is a distinct advantage, just about every employee thrives with reward and recognition.
Some of these rewards are specific to the employee. These could include direct appreciation, job promotions, and salary raises.
Other rewards are more general to the overall creative environments.
This is where you’ll see office environments that are more reminiscent of a spa or boutique hotel. These settings often include features such as:
A Kitchen With Bells and Whistles
The kitchen area should include options for coffee drinkers, tea drinkers, and water drinkers. Many office kitchens have coffee makers that don’t even require knowledge of how to make coffee. The maker is simple, easy, and fun to use.
A Relaxation Zone
The relaxation zone may include comfortable chairs, couches, and hammocks. Some offices have outdoor spaces to encourage employees to take a pause and rejuvenate in nature.
A Refreshing Zone
The refreshing zone can be a bathroom with lotions, aromatherapy sprays, and face wash. Many offices ask their employees to suggest popular products.
Plan for Flow
In creating space, architects often talk about flow. What does the space invite people to do, see, feel, and sense? This is influenced by your choices of color, furnishings, surfaces, and layout.
Many creative offices speak about flow. They use the principle of pattern language to create architecture that fosters relating. This concept drives decisions and helps focus on creating spaces that invite teamwork.
Creating natural flow makes sense for organizing workplace creativity. Is the copier in a central location? Is there a hangout space for casual conversation? Is there open access to team members and teams?
By planning for flow, you can prepare for great teamwork—in advance.
Invite and Listen to Input
Finally, you’ve got the best source for input and ideas…your team. Your employees and peers know what they want out of a work environment. If you ask, they will tell you.
For some leaders, inviting input is not familiar. You may be used to calling the shots. You might think you’ve got more than enough ideas to create a fun and stimulating workplace. But you’re not the only one working here. That’s why it pays to ask your employees, and listen to their suggestions.
Sum Up
Creating an attractive work place is a key part to attracting the best candidates for your team. It may be above and beyond what you’ve done in the past, but with a little effort, you can establish a reputation for being the best place to work.
Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.