20.08.24
20.08.24
Why is it important to move away from a bland office environment? After all, it’s the staff who make a business, not the shell in which they work right? Well actually, both need to work together to get the best results.
Many people would be surprised at just how inspiring a fun, creative and attractive work environment can be. Imagine you have just moved into a new house, but it is completely neutral, it doesn’t show your personality at all and it doesn’t feel like home. Then you redesign the rooms, whether that is structural or through painting and putting in your own furniture, you transform it into a place you call home and can enjoy. It inspires you to keep your house in order and you are proud to invite family and friends over to show them your accomplishments.
Your place of work should be no different. By creating an amazing workspace for your staff and customers, you create a sense of pride, loyalty and productivity helping to build your business up to the next level.
So what are the benefits of having a branded and creative office environment?
Create an atmosphere your staff can be proud of. By incorporating branding, imagery and colour in the office, along with furnishings which encourage collaboration and wellbeing, staff have been found to be more motivated, increasing productivity and helping to drive the business forward.
By just providing a connection to the outside using plant life and natural light, staff productivity can vastly improve. The University of Exeter found that plants alone can increase staff productivity by as much as 15%.
Use your company's vision and goals to inspire your surroundings. This will help staff feel more connected to your business. They will also be able to see how important their individual role is, whatever that role may be from the receptionist to the Managing Director. You know that every staff member matters and through effective internal branding and imagery, your staff can feel that too.
Used as part of a focused business goal, your staff can become brand ambassadors for your business, helping it to grow because they are naturally proud to work there. The happier your staff are, the more they will help your business grow.
It’s not enough to just be a business which provides a good quality product or service anymore. Prospective customers want to know who you are as a business. Do you have environmental goals? What are your staff’s work ethics like? Why should they use you when there are plenty of others to choose from?
What does your office currently say about your business? Are you an up and coming start-up? Do you inspire creativity? Do you have a bold, strong demeanour that shows you will get the job done? Whatever your company’s persona, your office wants to scream it to your customers and make an unforgettable impression.
For example, if a letting agency didn’t keep its office in a good condition, anyone who walked in there and saw it needed decorating or general maintenance would rightly be concerned over how the property they were about to invest in would be treated.
It might be that the letting agents actually put all its time and effort into making sure its properties are immaculate. But that first impression of the office would instantly provide a lack of trust to its potential customers.
Your place of work needs to reflect your business values to help build that trust with your customers. When done right, it creates a lasting impression to help you stand out from your competition.
