3 Tips To Inspire Better Productivity In Your Office

by Tracy Norris, CEO of online furniture company iFurn.com

You want your team to be more productive, but you can’t just wave a magic wand and make it happen. It has to be designed right into your office. Everything from furniture to layout to how much office space you have can all make a dramatic difference in how productive your employees are.

Buying Ergonomic Furniture.

Ergonomics has been hyped to the sky over the last 10 to 15 years, but is there any value in it? You’ve probably seen the furniture. It’s wickedly expensive. Turns out that ergonomics is actually legit and can improve productivity, but not for everyone. People who benefit the most from ergonomics tend to be the people with lifetime desk jobs and those with existing back pain. But, there’s a little-known piece of office furniture that can boost productivity reliably for everyone – a standing desk.

Rather than sitting down on the job, employees stand. Stand? Yes, for office workers, and those who must routinely use a computer, the standing desk is proving to increase productivity by about 10 percent.

Why? Part of it has to do with the sense of urgency that comes with standing up. You have to engage your leg muscles. You can’t relax. You have to be more active. Those who move, wiggle, shift their weight constantly, and take frequent – but brief – walks around their work area actually get even more work done.

All that movement, it seems, is contagious and translates well to just about any job or task where the employee already knows what needs to be done. For creative tasks, the jury is still out. Some people find it helps them think and share ideas. Others find that sitting down helps get the creative juices flowing.

Use Different Layouts.

L-shaped desks are making a comeback in some offices – especially where those desks are adjustable, allowing the user to sit or stand throughout the day. Try mixing up the layout a bit so that people are encouraged to work as a team or independently depending on task at hand.

For example, let’s assume you have a large project you need completed by Friday. You have 5 people on the team, but these people are a bit scattered around the office. Try putting them together with several desks situated so that everyone faces each other. If they have to collaborate, they can pass notes, diagrams, or even just chat across the desk. It’s much easier to collaborate when you’re sitting right across from them.

Likewise, if you have individuals that need to work on creative, alone, it might be best to isolate these people from others who are doing repetitive tasks or tasks that require them to converse with other employees.

Keep Office Space Open.

Keep an open floor plan in your office. It’s simple, and it brings everyone together. It makes everyone feel like they’re part of a family instead of part of a cold corporation. Soulless cubicles went out in the ’90s. Don’t dig them up. You’re not doing your employees any favor and you might actually kill any morale that exists right now in the office.

Tracy Norris, an expert in eCommerce brings 16 years of experience in online ventures and successful internet sales.  Tracy has also had 20 years experience as a Chiropractor which has allowed him to bring his professionalism and business & customer service knowledge to his position as CEO. Currently Tracy is the founder & CEO of the online furniture company iFurn.com, which is the answer to the question, where to buy office furniture, and Pain Relievers, Inc., where you can buy pain relief products.