We all know that we spend far too much time in the office trying to battle those mountains of paperwork, which doesn't help with our well-being.
It is amazing how much your work environment can affect your mindset- for example, if your desk is cluttered full of paperwork you may feel exasperated at the work you need to do before you've even sat down!
Rather than dreading your next journey in to the office, here are some simple suggestions on how to make your office a more welcoming destination every morning!
Get Some Quality Lighting
Bad or unnatural lighting can be harmful to your eyes- it may be a good idea to swap the existing bulbs in your office for natural day light bulbs. These bulbs give off more natural light, taking a lot of the strain off your eyes and they are also energy efficient! Also, make the most of the natural light available within the office- this could save your office some pennies.
Reducing Noise
If your office is too noisy and you find it hard to concentrate, you might like to think about adding fabric desk dividing screens.
These come in all shapes and sizes, from floor standing to desk mounted screens, and it is amazing how much sound the screens absorb. These screens are also pinnable so that you have an extra surface to stick extra information and photos on to.
Heating and Air Conditioning
There is nothing more uncomfortable than sitting at your desk trying to do your work whilst you are freezing to death in the winter with your teeth chattering, or positively melting in the summer heat. Even if you just add a little heater or a desk fan- make sure that you are providing an environment that is comfortable enough to work in, whilst also balancing the costs.
Battle the Computer Cables!
Loose cables remind me of tangle weeds! They can make offices look particularly untidy if they are not kept at bay, but there are ways to keep things tidy! There are many different types of cable management at different price points to suit your needs, including cable trays, trunking and spines. Some desks also incorporate cable management within the legs, which can also be exceptionally helpful.
Organise your Desk
It's a lot easier than you may think to organise your desk. If you have a tool rail on your desk divider screen, you will be able to add various letter trays, which help you to keep your desk clear and your paperwork more organised. Under desk pedestals are also useful for storing your equipment- though beware, the more drawers you have, the more you will fill them! It is also possible to add pen trays inside your pedestal drawer to keep your stationary organised.
If you are looking to gain more desk space, you may consider mounting your computer monitor on to a monitor arm. There are many different variations of monitor arms, including tool rail (screen) mounted, desk clamped and arms which are incorporated in to the cable ports.
The monitor arms can be made height adjustable- this is particularly useful for desks with multiple users on various different shifts, as the monitor's position can be easily altered.
Be Quirky!Add something interesting or out of the ordinary to your office- it helps to make your office a bit more creative, fun and it's a fantastic talking point for your customers or visitors. For example, at our new Verve head office, we had an old red telephone box sunk in to the wall, acting as the entrance to our storage room! The light within the telephone box still works, and gives the box a lovely glow from the outside!
The telephone box looks absolutely fantastic in the offices, and strikes up a conversation with all of our clients. We made small, creative additions such as this in order to show people that offices don't have to be boring- it is so simple to add little quirky touches and the effect on staff and customer morale is brilliant!
Choose a Decent Chair!
This is one of the most important points- do not spend hours of your time in the office sat in a cheap office chair. Even if you work from home, please do not try and sit in a normal chair for hours on end- these types of chair do not offer the correct type of support for your back and will repay you in discomfort, aches and pains.
Cheap office chairs may look like more expensive chairs, but the major quality difference is in the things that you cannot see, such as the foam used to cushion the chair. They may be cheaper in the short term but cheap office chairs have far shorter product life cycles, meaning that you have to replace them much more regularly, whilst chairs of a higher quality carry much longer guarantees.
You may also add features to them, such as lumbar support, metal bases or seat sliding adjustments. These chairs are much more comfortable and supportive to sit in, and they last much longer too, giving you peace of mind!
For more information about how to choose the right operator chair for you, please take a look at our article here.
