Total Office Online, Inc.

Recent years have inspired a new wave of office design. We’ve seen cubicle farms go by the wayside in favor of open office space. Corner offices have shed their walls, meeting rooms adapted to be VR-friendly, and non-assigned seating became the norm in shared collaborative spaces.

So what’s the next step? We’ve discussed the Third Place, where corporate campuses are bringing in coffee shop-like atmospheres for employees to enhance their social interactions without the pressures that accompany the office or home.

But there’s a new trend beyond that taking shape, called Close to Home Design.
On average, we spend 35% of our waking hours in the office. Perhaps that’s why employers are listening to the wants and needs of their workforce and colleagues in terms of comfort. They’re also paying attention to what incoming graduates are asking for, with the influx of millennials seeking a level of comfort in their surroundings that’s different than previous generations. Whatever the reason, Close to Home Design is surging in offices across the world.

What is it? It’s the simple idea of making your office feel more like home, a place where employees are so comfortable, they have no trouble putting in longer hours or they feel less trapped by their surroundings. Employers are figuring out new and fun ways to entice people into their corporate families and keep their existing workers happy for the duration they spend at work.

For example, Jessica Alba wanted to design The Honest Company’s office with “things you can sit on and put your feet on.” The 83,000 sq ft office space includes a cozy kitchen filled with natural light and wood accents, a relaxing color palette connecting all rooms, hammocks, a shuffleboard court, and plenty of couches.

Close To Home Design can include conference rooms with a circle of comfortable couches and a flat screen TV instead of a long, lacquered table and executive chairs. This makes conversation feel more like that of friends having a get-together than doing business. Or it’s design with fireplaces strategically located throughout the space, not only supplementing heating during the cold months, but also adding a touch of atmosphere–with the smell and sound of a crackling fire–that actually makes people want to stay at work longer.

Instead of the institutional-like cafeteria, corporate campuses are bringing in restaurant-like eateries with more intimate lighting and more relaxing seating that encourages people to sit for those long water-cooler conversations where some of the best inspiration can be found. They’re even making room for bars. Many companies and departments host happy hours at a nearby bar for employees to let off steam and get to know their colleagues, but with Close To Home Design, the business is bringing the bar to them, right there on campus.

It’s about more than simply giving your employees a comfortable place to park themselves and converse with colleagues.
It’s about fostering an environment of hands-on involvement in projects and encouraging the sharing of new ideas. People are more likely to share their sparks of creativity–even if not fully formed and ready for presentation–with their colleagues in an environment where they feel relaxed and unhurried, and this in turn gives rise to collaborating on those ideas to see them from conception to reality together. The saying, “Two heads are better than one,” exists for a reason.

Some other features of Close To Home that have become more common are the inclusion of:

Beer coolers
Game rooms
Yoga rooms, generally in the vicinity of onsite exercise facilities
Food trucks
Showers
Living room-style conversation pits
Outdoor patio furniture reminiscent of picnics or pool parties
Quiet spaces designed like a home study rather than a closed office
The warm ambiance of lamps for lighting rather than row after row of fluorescent lights
The benefits of Close To Home Design? There are quite a few.
Creating comfort so intrinsic that people relax when they enter their workplace just as they do when they return home after a day’s work can be an incentive in many ways. Those who put in longer hours are more relaxed and happy. Creativity flows when conversation is less structured or business-oriented. When laughter rings through a room, it puts people at ease and work becomes less effort and more engaging. If your people know they can work in a place where kicking their feet up is not only allowed, it’s encouraged, they won’t have to go in to work everyday, they’ll want to.

Original Post: https://www.inc.com/jeff-pochepan/a-smart-move-for-2018-design-your-companys-office-to-look-like-home.html

If you’re tuned into your workplace, you can tell when employees exhibit the subtle and not-so-subtle symptoms of low morale: eye rolls, high turnover rates, fewer employee conversations, decreased collaboration, and diluted performances.

The best approach to tackling low morale is to embrace positive changes before it takes hold, offsetting boredom and frustration with meaningful benefits, individual acknowledgements, and opportunities to grow. Here are 20 proven ways to get the ball rolling:

1. Crowd-source company outing ideas.
How many times have you been to a company outing that missed the mark? Instead of putting your HR team in charge, ask for anonymous nominations for a company-wide outing — then let your team vote for their favorites. Giving employees the opportunity to shape rewarding activities ensures that your effort serves everyone.

2. Eradicate email.
Email not only drags on employees’ productivity, it wears on well-being by increasing stress and requiring high levels of reactivity. In fact, 92 percent of employees experience a spike in blood pressure and heart rate after reading an email in the office. Instead of utilizing email for all communication, integrate software like Trello, Asana, and Slack to lessen or completely negate its impact.

3. Let go of jerks.
Executive coach Rodger Dean Duncan describes jerks as those who “intimidate, condescend, or demean, swear, behave rudely, belittle people in front of others, give only negative feedback, lie, act sexist or racist, withhold critical information, blow up in meetings, refuse to accept blame or accountability, gossip, and spread rumors, use fear as a motivator, etc.”

What’s the easiest way to boost morale? Let go of the jerks — weeding out this kind of behavior among upper management can have an even greater impact on employee morale than raises or promotions.

4. Ask for feedback.
A posture of openness gives employees permission to contribute to positive change. Google, for example, uses a survey called Googleist to elicit feedback from employees on a wide swath of issues. It then recruits volunteer groups to tackle issues and solve the company’s biggest problems. At When I Work, we use a tool called TinyPulse. Brainstorm ways to incorporate regular feedback into the life of your office.

5. Develop strong and transparent promotion tracks.
Forty percent of millennials expect promotions every one to two years. To maintain employee morale among a new generation of employees, you need to emphasize the viability of your promotional tracks. Be clear about opportunities to grow, not just during recruitment but on a regular basis.

6. Encourage real lunch breaks.
Research suggests that only one in five people take lunch breaks and that white-collar workers are least likely to step away from their desks for a break. Management professor Kimberly Elsbach told NPR that “staying inside, in the same location, is really detrimental to creative thinking.” Get managers on board to take a coffee break, go for a walk or check out a new restaurant every day. Those people have the greatest leverage to model morale-boosting habits.

7. Increase vacation days.
Just as employees are hesitant to step away from their desks for lunch, they often shy away from vacation time despite its potential to boost morale. Some companies try to break the mold by offering unlimited vacation days, but that’s not necessarily a solution either. As writer Lotte Bailyn argued, “Unlimited vacation time may sound wonderful in theory, but in reality, less is more. Too much choice is restrictive and confusing.” Instead, increase vacation days and add a bonus for employees who truly take a time-out — no work email, no phone calls, no laptop on the beach.

8. Recognize personal milestones and losses.
Individuals experience higher morale when employers appreciate them as people first and employees second. You can still recognize personal milestones and losses while respecting privacy — even a simple note from you would do. Respond as you would to a friend, with kindness and consideration. Seeing as how 78 percent employees spend more time with co-workers than they do with family, a supportive community will go along way to fostering happiness.

9. Celebrate work anniversaries.
Work anniversaries are relationship milestones between an employee and a company. According to a survey from Globoforce, 82 percent of people would feel good if people noticed and recognized their work anniversary, but only 36 percent of people say a work anniversary made them feel valued. Have a conversation with your staff about the best way to honor work anniversaries. And while you’re at it, make sure to celebrate your company’s birthday. It’s a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with your mission while generating good feelings.

10. Offer discounts and sponsored programs.
By offering to pick up the tab on some essentials, you nurture a positive relationship with employees. Consider paying for or subsidizing transportation, technology, gym memberships, or childcare. If your company enjoys partnerships with other organizations, consider asking them to offer a mutual discounts on services for your and their employees.

11. Bring Your Family to Work day.
Family is one of the most important aspects of people’s lives. Opening your doors to children, spouses, parents, and siblings connects professional and personal worlds. No doubt, families will feel pride upon seeing the work of your employee in their natural habitat, garnering appreciation and a shared sense of connection.

12. Give substantial bonuses.
A 2013 Harvard Business School study found that giving clear, unconditional, and unexpected financial gifts to employees leads to higher productivity. As the researchers state, “Gifts are roughly as efficient as hiring more workers.” Imagine the positive impact you would have giving a big bonus to a single mother supporting a family or a young professional paying off student loans? Unconditional gifts can revolutionize your employee morale.

13. Incorporate play.
Playing games leads people to compromise, meet others’ needs, and work together as a team. Diffuse a competitive environment by incorporating humor and play. Add a Ping-Pong table to the break room, bring in a karaoke machine once a month, or even encourage a small group to undertake an art project for the office.

14. Create a lenient inclement weather policy.
When a blizzard, flood, or hurricane rolls into town, be especially cognizant of employee safety, and when necessary, let workers stay home. As an alternative to an awful and extended commute, chances are employees will be more productive during a snow day at home than they would in the office. Also note that a lenient inclement weather policy is particularly important to employees with young family, as childcare options are rarely available when schools close.

15. Limit office hours.
In fields such as finance, law, and medicine, young staffers are expected to put in heavy hours. Despite the appearance of productivity, this marathon-approach to work weighs on well-being and doesn’t necessarily increase results. Empower employees with time-management training and peer support, as well as clear boundaries around office hours.

16. Offer sabbaticals.
Companies like Adobe, Deloitte and Kimpton Hotels have adopted sabbaticals as a way to increase quality of life and encourage retention among employees. Based on the time of service, an employee can take a break to pursue her passions, volunteer, or spend time with family. These kinds of extended breaks give individuals a viable option beyond quitting or transferring to a different company.

17. Free professional development and tuition reimbursement.
Eligible employees can work toward their degrees remotely while working at the coffee giant. Consider putting aside money for professional development programs and to reimburse employee tuition toward academic degrees. Not only will it boost employees’ achievements and self-esteem, it will empower your company with a competitive workforce. Starbucks is leading this trend, having just expanded their employee tuition reimbursement plan in partnership with Arizona State University.

18. Reinvent team-building exercises.
The best team-building exercises will overturn organizational structures and allow individuals to explore their own strengths. Instead of playing “the trust game,” encourage employees to lead voluntary workshops or exercises in an area they are knowledgeable about — an avid outdoorsmen could plan a kayaking trip or a top-notch baker could teach people how to bake a new recipe. The options are endless!

19. Offer a paid day off for birthdays.
Cake is great, but instead, give your employees the ultimate birthday boost: an extra day off to spend whenever and however they like. Your generosity will come back in the form of employee appreciation.

20. Encourage outsourcing and delegation.
Employees often feel overwhelmed. Instead of expecting individuals to do it all, encourage outsourcing work to freelancers and outside experts as a way to plug in the holes. With specialized contractors implementing strategy, you free up your employees to think big and develop innovative initiatives.

Studies reveal that a key employee’s exit can cost between 70 and 200 percent of the individual’s compensation. With high costs accompanying low morale, it pays to invest in a positive community and individual satisfaction — they can go a long way to improving your company and its numbers.

Original: //www.inc.com/sujan-patel/20-creative-ways-to-boost-employee-morale.html

The best office chair has:
Several adjustable features. If you’ll be in your office chair for much of the day, you should be able to control your seat height, backrest tilt and armrest height; for other tips on minimizing pain, see Spine-Health.com’s handy checklist.
Appropriate weight capacity and seat size. Most chairs are adjustable enough to accommodate a variety of shapes and sizes, but workers with smaller or larger frames should see whether there are special versions that will better suit them.
Comfortable, durable upholstery. Regardless of upholstery type, a chair should allow for at least some airflow and resist stains. Stitching should hold up to wear and tear, and seams should be placed where they won’t irritate skin.
A solid warranty. Office chairs have to stand up to daily abuse, and companies should stand behind the product with a fair, straightforward warranty — the longer and more inclusive the better, particularly for high-end models. Some warranties may not cover standard wear and tear, while others are more generous.
Know before you go
Try before you buy. Choosing the best chair will take more than a few minutes on a showroom floor. Check the retailer’s return policy; you may be able to test the chair for a couple of weeks and send it back if it’s not the right pick.

How often will you use the chair? If you’re going to spend hours in your office chair without a break, it makes more sense to splurge on a chair with as many ergonomic adjustments as possible. If you’re buying for a home office that you may only use an hour or two every day, other factors such as budget and style might influence your decision as much (or more) than adjustability.

What kind of work will you be doing? If you’ll be moving around a lot, or you work in a highly collaborative space, you may want a smooth-rolling, scuff-resistant task chair with a smaller footprint. Arms might not be necessary, and you may not need very plush padding if you won’t be sitting for long periods. However, if you’ll be sitting in front of a computer without many breaks, you’ll want a deeper seat with a higher back and lumbar support to ward off aches and pains.

How do you prefer to sit? If you tend to lean forward, certain task chairs that allow a more forward tilt might be a wise pick. On the other hand, if you like to recline while working, you’ll want to check your chair’s tilt limiter to make sure it allows for your preferred range of motion. If you prefer an unconventional position, such as cross-legged with a keyboard in your lap, you’ll want a chair with width- and depth-adjustable armrests that won’t get in your way.

Do you have existing aches and pains? If your lower back gets sore, make sure your chair has adjustable lumbar support. If you’re prone to aching legs, make sure the seat has a sloped front (sometimes called a “waterfall edge”) to allow adequate blood circulation — and be sure your feet can comfortably rest flat on the floor. However, keep in mind that while a good chair can keep pain to a minimum, no chair can cure chronic pain — and experts agree that it’s best to alternate long periods of sitting with standing or walking around. You may even benefit from a standing or walking desk, both of which we cover in our separate report on standing desks.

Does your workspace have solid floors or carpet? Most casters will roll smoothly on hard surfaces, but that might not be the case with carpet. You may want to consider a chair mat in that case — it will also save your carpet.

Consider your upholstery choices. Mesh promotes airflow and helps keep you cool — potentially a good pick if you sit for hours at a time. Leather can offer a plush, luxurious feel, but it can also retain body heat. Vinyl is easier to clean than leather, but has the same breathability problem. Fabric is comfy for most, but is also most prone to stains. Higher-end fabrics will likely be more breathable and stain-repellent, however.

Buying tactics and strategies
While a large employer might view costly office chairs as a necessary investment, it’s harder for individuals to stomach higher price tags. One way to snag a quality chair for less? Buy used. While sites like Craigslist might be worth a look, also check office furniture outlets or liquidators. These resellers buy retailers’ excess stock and used chairs from defunct businesses, and they’re likely to have a better variety than you’ll find using person-to-person classifieds. Just be sure to check out any used chair thoroughly, testing all functions and examining parts and upholstery for excess wear. Sticking to well-known models will also make it easier to order a spare part if the need arises.

BY: Saundra Latham
FROM: https://www.consumersearch.com/office-chairs/how-to-buy-an-office-chair

Sitting too much is killing us all.

We’re sitting an average of 9.3 hours a day, and this lack of activity has been linked to health problems like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

We’re getting heavier and sicker just by having full-time office jobs. Is there any way to stay fit at work?

However, there are ways that you can be fit and keep your job.

We spoke with productivity experts and personal trainers about how you can stay in shape while at work. Here’s their advice.

1. Treadmill desks
Traditional desks are seen as part of the problem of America’s addiction to sitting. Instead, many people are opting for alternatives like a treadmill desk.

Kayla Goldwag, a personal trainer in Los Angeles, likes treadmill desks because they’re pre-programmed to go at a slower pace than normal treadmills.

“The idea with these pieces of equipment is that sitting is the new smoking and that some movement is better than being stationary, and that’s true up to a point,” she says. “So if getting 10,000 steps in at a slow steady pace in this manner helps you move more, burn some calories, and you can get your work done, why not?”

Carrie Schmitz, the manager of ergonomic research and technical publications for standing desk manufacturer Ergotron says you can use exercise desks as long as they don’t overtax your body.

“If you engage in hard physical labor, you might be more likely to sit later and not exercise as much at another time,” she says. “That’s important because it’s low-level activity that people need to replace sedentary activity.”

2. Adjustable desks
By using a desk that adjusts between standing and sitting, you can eliminate some of those deadly sitting hours, but still relax when you need it.

“It’s best to work at a standing desk and take time to go to the gym at the end of the day or on a long walk or jog during your lunch hour,” says John Brubaker, a productivity coach in Maine. “You need to be present with whatever physical activity you’re doing.”

Along with keeping you active, the standing desk can help you with your concentration. According to ADHD and ADD strategist and productivity coach Susan Lasky, movement is critical for those who have issues with focusing.

“While many people with ADHD are highly active and are natural candidates for a standing desk, there are others who are not as physically active and might not gravitate towards a standing desk, but would probably benefit from having one,” Lasky says.

3. Group exercise
Let’s say you don’t want to or can’t change your desk. Instead, you could team up with your whole office and exercise together during work hours.

“Accountability and motivation by competition helps some of us get moving,” says Goldwag.

She recommends organizing lunch break walks, or participating in the burpee challenge. This means that you all do a set of 10 burpees at the top of every hour before lunch.

“You can all get on MyFitnessPal and log it when completed and award the winner of consistency with a salad for lunch or something,” she says.

4. Walking meetings
Brubaker says that if you have a meeting, don’t take it sitting down. Instead, schedule it so that you’re walking around the block with your meeting partner.

Susan Rose, who coaches business and sales professionals, says that she walks around her office while doing work.

“When I am on the phone with coaching clients, I both stand and sit so I can take notes,” she says. “When I do group conference calls, I always stand and walk with my notes in hand. It helps me stay alert and I project better on the phone.”

5. Alternate sitting and standing
Leila Harper, a personal trainer in Los Angeles, says that it’s best to get a standing desk and then switch between standing and sitting on a stability ball.

According to Schmitz, the most effective way to utilize the standing desk is to sit for 30 minutes, and then stand for 30, and so on.

“It’s that movement between postures that’s getting your metabolism going,” she says.

The effects of sitting are proven to be harmful, however, not everybody is convinced. Even if it takes baby steps, it’s important to pursue changing your sitting routine at work.

“We have these habits that are so deeply ingrained that even when we hear about the fact that sitting is bad, we don’t change our behavior easily or readily,” says Brubaker. “Anything that gets you moving, we ought to embrace it.”

BY: Kylie Ora Lobell, WeWork

Sitting too much is killing us all.

We’re sitting an average of 9.3 hours a day, and this lack of activity has been linked to health problems like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

We’re getting heavier and sicker just by having full-time office jobs. Is there any way to stay fit at work?

However, there are ways that you can be fit and keep your job.

We spoke with productivity experts and personal trainers about how you can stay in shape while at work. Here’s their advice.

1. Treadmill desks
Traditional desks are seen as part of the problem of America’s addiction to sitting. Instead, many people are opting for alternatives like a treadmill desk.

Kayla Goldwag, a personal trainer in Los Angeles, likes treadmill desks because they’re pre-programmed to go at a slower pace than normal treadmills.

“The idea with these pieces of equipment is that sitting is the new smoking and that some movement is better than being stationary, and that’s true up to a point,” she says. “So if getting 10,000 steps in at a slow steady pace in this manner helps you move more, burn some calories, and you can get your work done, why not?”

Carrie Schmitz, the manager of ergonomic research and technical publications for standing desk manufacturer Ergotron says you can use exercise desks as long as they don’t overtax your body.

“If you engage in hard physical labor, you might be more likely to sit later and not exercise as much at another time,” she says. “That’s important because it’s low-level activity that people need to replace sedentary activity.”

2. Adjustable desks
By using a desk that adjusts between standing and sitting, you can eliminate some of those deadly sitting hours, but still relax when you need it.

“It’s best to work at a standing desk and take time to go to the gym at the end of the day or on a long walk or jog during your lunch hour,” says John Brubaker, a productivity coach in Maine. “You need to be present with whatever physical activity you’re doing.”

Along with keeping you active, the standing desk can help you with your concentration. According to ADHD and ADD strategist and productivity coach Susan Lasky, movement is critical for those who have issues with focusing.

“While many people with ADHD are highly active and are natural candidates for a standing desk, there are others who are not as physically active and might not gravitate towards a standing desk, but would probably benefit from having one,” Lasky says.

3. Group exercise
Let’s say you don’t want to or can’t change your desk. Instead, you could team up with your whole office and exercise together during work hours.

“Accountability and motivation by competition helps some of us get moving,” says Goldwag.

She recommends organizing lunch break walks, or participating in the burpee challenge. This means that you all do a set of 10 burpees at the top of every hour before lunch.

“You can all get on MyFitnessPal and log it when completed and award the winner of consistency with a salad for lunch or something,” she says.

4. Walking meetings
Brubaker says that if you have a meeting, don’t take it sitting down. Instead, schedule it so that you’re walking around the block with your meeting partner.

Susan Rose, who coaches business and sales professionals, says that she walks around her office while doing work.

“When I am on the phone with coaching clients, I both stand and sit so I can take notes,” she says. “When I do group conference calls, I always stand and walk with my notes in hand. It helps me stay alert and I project better on the phone.”

5. Alternate sitting and standing
Leila Harper, a personal trainer in Los Angeles, says that it’s best to get a standing desk and then switch between standing and sitting on a stability ball.

According to Schmitz, the most effective way to utilize the standing desk is to sit for 30 minutes, and then stand for 30, and so on.

“It’s that movement between postures that’s getting your metabolism going,” she says.

The effects of sitting are proven to be harmful, however, not everybody is convinced. Even if it takes baby steps, it’s important to pursue changing your sitting routine at work.

“We have these habits that are so deeply ingrained that even when we hear about the fact that sitting is bad, we don’t change our behavior easily or readily,” says Brubaker. “Anything that gets you moving, we ought to embrace it.”

Countless books have been written about how to boost your work productivity. But all along, you may have just needed a paint brush.

The environment you work in can have an incredible effect on your energy, creativity and focus — but, let’s be real, you don’t have time to read a textbook on color psychology. Instead, there’s a handy infographic from office supply company Quill that consolidates all the information you need into one handy guide. Now that’s productive time management.

If your workspace is big on teamwork, you may want to suggest that your office design include blue, which promotes feelings of trust and communication — and it keeps blood pressure under control when inevitable disagreements arise.

On the other hand, if you’re constantly having to brainstorm genius ideas, try green. This harmonizing, balancing hue boosts creativity.

There’s even fitting situations for bolder colors such as red (best for spaces where people work at night because it increases brain wave activity), orange (best for high-energy spaces because it sparks enthusiasm) and yellow (best for fast-paced places because it stimulates and energizes).

Ready to email your office’s business manager — or revamp your own home office? Check out the helpful infographic below to find out which color is best for your work style.

Countless books have been written about how to boost your work productivity. But all along, you may have just needed a paint brush.

The environment you work in can have an incredible effect on your energy, creativity and focus — but, let’s be real, you don’t have time to read a textbook on color psychology. Instead, there’s a handy infographic from office supply company Quill that consolidates all the information you need into one handy guide. Now that’s productive time management.

If your workspace is big on teamwork, you may want to suggest that your office design include blue, which promotes feelings of trust and communication — and it keeps blood pressure under control when inevitable disagreements arise.

On the other hand, if you’re constantly having to brainstorm genius ideas, try green. This harmonizing, balancing hue boosts creativity.

There’s even fitting situations for bolder colors such as red (best for spaces where people work at night because it increases brain wave activity), orange (best for high-energy spaces because it sparks enthusiasm) and yellow (best for fast-paced places because it stimulates and energizes).

Ready to email your office’s business manager — or revamp your own home office? Check out the helpful infographic below to find out which color is best for your work style.

Countless books have been written about how to boost your work productivity. But all along, you may have just needed a paint brush.

The environment you work in can have an incredible effect on your energy, creativity and focus — but, let’s be real, you don’t have time to read a textbook on color psychology. Instead, there’s a handy infographic from office supply company Quill that consolidates all the information you need into one handy guide. Now that’s productive time management.

If your workspace is big on teamwork, you may want to suggest that your office design include blue, which promotes feelings of trust and communication — and it keeps blood pressure under control when inevitable disagreements arise.

On the other hand, if you’re constantly having to brainstorm genius ideas, try green. This harmonizing, balancing hue boosts creativity.

There’s even fitting situations for bolder colors such as red (best for spaces where people work at night because it increases brain wave activity), orange (best for high-energy spaces because it sparks enthusiasm) and yellow (best for fast-paced places because it stimulates and energizes).

Ready to email your office’s business manager — or revamp your own home office? Check out the helpful infographic below to find out which color is best for your work style.

The right workspace can greatly increase employee peace of mind and productivity. But before you panic and install a Google-style indoor go-cart track in your accounting firm’s headquarters, relax. All you really need to do to boost your employees productivity is make a few small design tweaks.

It may seem trivial, but a few simple design fixes in your office environment can make you and your employees happier, healthier and much more productive.

SEE ALSO: 5 Excellent Productivity Tools for Remote Workers

Whether it’s as big as painting the walls or as small as adjusting your desk chair, here’s how you can tailor your office’s design for maximum effectiveness:

1. Ergonomics
We don’t even need to cite science on this one (but we will), because it just makes sense. You’re not going to be productive if your back is killing you from an improperly adjusted computer screen or desk chair.

Take five minutes and adjust, adjust, adjust. Specifically, focus on the heights of your desk chair, desk and computer monitor so that your thighs are parallel to the floor and your upper arms are perpendicular to the floor. Your wrists should be almost straight. You want to ensure that everything is within easy reach without straining any of your muscles.

Trust us. Your body will thank you later.

2. Lose the Clutter
Another no-brainer, but keeping a clutter-free desk will greatly increase productivity and organization. As a manager, it can be difficult to enforce a “clean desk” policy, but you can encourage employees to scan documents for a more paperless desk.

As an employee, do your best to keep things neat and tidy in your personal space, including your computer folders. You’ll save more time by developing a system and sticking to it than by scrolling through endless documents trying to find the one you want.

A clutter free desk will make you more productive.

Some easy tips to get you started: Stick to a pattern for naming file names, labeling with the relevant project or event; develop an organized file system; and occasionally take the time to delete documents you no longer need, or nest them within one “Old Projects” folder.

Pro tip: If you are going to go paperless, please, for the love of tech, back up your files.

3. Color Me Productive
Color has long been proven to affect people’s productivity at work. The Color Affects System, developed by world-renown color psychologist Angela Wright, determines that while individuals might have certain preferences for color, the effects of color influence people universally.

According to Wright’s theory, blue stimulates the mind, yellow inspires creativity, red affects your body and green creates a calming balance. But just choosing a color isn’t enough. Even more important than the actual color is the saturation and intensity of the color choice. Highly saturated, bright colors will stimulate while softer, muted colors will soothe.

If you can’t change the color of your whole office, opt for accents so that different teams are surrounded by the colors that will best suit their type of work.

4. Get One With Nature
If you can’t change the color scheme of your office or have no control over the lighting design, adding a small potted plant to your desk decor is one of the quickest and easiest ways you can maximize your productivity at work.

Two studies, one from 2011 and one from 2013, found that having a plant on your desk increases productivity and cognitive attention, as well as filter the air to remove mold and bacteria, keeping your employees happy, productive and healthy.

A desk plant can keep you more productive at work.

5. Light It Up
Letting in a lot of natural light increases productivity, energy and creativity, according to this study, which showed natural light improved test results and let to customers spending more time in stores.

It’s unrealistic to assume every office can knock out a few more spots for windows and skylights, but you can work with the light you already have by making sure that as many desks are within view of a window as possible. It also helps to ensure all the windows and skylights are cleaned regularly for maximum light intake.

If natural light just isn’t a possibility for you, it’s better to opt for indirect light — that is, light that bounces off the ceiling or wall — as it’s more soothing and calming than light that shines directly on employees.

6. Ditch the Open Plan
OK, so yes, this goes against everything that you’ve heard about open plans being great for collaborative work and productivity. But according to a recent study by Jungsoo Kim and Richard de Dear of the University of Sydney Faculty of Architecture, workers who were lumped together in an open floor plan often are less satisfied with their working environment, citing the lack of privacy — specifically “sound privacy” — as the reason.

If you need proof, just walk through every open plan office and count the pairs of headphones. Hardly anyone collaborates, because it’s intimidating to talk to someone else when the whole office can hear your conversation.

An open office plan actually isn’t that helpful.

If you must have an open floor plan, make sure there are plenty of private nooks or conference rooms available for people who want to have small meetings or to make a phone call, but don’t want everyone in the office to hear them.

7. Up and At ‘Em
Even the most well-designed office will make employees unproductive if they feel chained to their desks. Make sure that employees have the space to get up and take a walk occasionally, or maybe a lounge area where they can get a little work done without sitting in the same place all day.

An office environment goes beyond good design; it comes down to culture, in addition to whether or not your employees feel comfortable taking a 20 minute break to walk around for a mid-afternoon recharge.

Originally posted on: http://mashable.com/2017/05/15/mit-liquid-3d-printing-westworld/

Productivity is all about efficiency — doing more, faster and with less. And with increasing demands from today’s anytime, anywhere workplace, it is has never been more important. To get the most out of your day, you need to focus on these three segments of your life:

Time
Humans are notoriously poor multitaskers, so managing your time is critical to improving productivity. The biggest time suck is unexpected (and usually unimportant) tasks. We all know that urge to read the email that just came in or to peek at the latest notification to pop up — an inclination psychologist Daniel Levitan, author of The Organized Mind, calls the novelty bias. This unintentional task-switching eats up more time than you might think. University of California information scientist Gloria Mark found that it takes an average of 26 minutes to recover from trivial interruptions. To avoid this, plan out your day and compartmentalize unexpected interruptions:

1. Start the day with structured ‘me time’: Go through email and social media updates that have piled up overnight and triage the backlog. Knock out quick responses and referrals, so other people can start working on tasks. Schedule the bigger tasks. And delete the stuff that is informational or not important.

2. Use commute time to complete coordination tasks: It’s crazy not to use commute time to winnow out time-intensive tasks. During my morning commute, I do a roundup of my external consultants — getting an update on open projects and finding out if they need assistance. By the time I arrive at the office, I have an accurate picture of my projects’ status.

3. Reduce all meeting times by 25 percent: You will get the same amount of work done, because so much time is wasted dealing with conference call setup and useless banter. (See this humorous video for a demonstration.) If you cut one five-person meeting per day from one hour down to 45 minutes, you will gain back 25 hours a month of work time. That’s roughly 300 hours a year — almost two months of work!

4. Schedule regular breaks during the day: Running from back-to-back meetings is not productive, because you get tired and lose focus. Block off time in your calendar and take breaks. Making these breaks a routine increases predictability, creating a regular schedule to keep your mind organized. If you can afford it, take a 10- to 20-minute power nap after lunch, too.

Space
“Space” refers to your environment — your office locale as well as to your virtual space. Workspace may not be the final frontier, but it is an important element for increasing work productivity. Here are a few space-related tips:

5. Work ‘offsite’ when it makes sense: When you need to write a document or research a topic, the absence of office interruptions will improve concentration. Some companies are finding that letting employees work from home has other advantages including reduced commute time, shorter lunch times and fewer sick days. See how you can apply documented strategies from Chinese travel site Ctrip, the AIIM and WordPress to your own work environment.

6. Consolidate the number of places you need to go for information: There are too many apps to navigate — email, microblogging tools like Yammer, chat tools like Lync, social media utilities like Twitter and LinkedIn and operational systems like SAP, Oracle and Salesforce. Make notifications from each application appear in one place.

7. Switch off popup notifications on mobile devices and on desktop: Don’t let applications interrupt your concentration with annoying popup messages. Shut them off. Now. And limit checking your email to set times during the day. You won’t regret it.

Mindset
Put yourself in a position where you can focus on doing the right task for the moment:

8. Converse, don’t email: Pick up the phone or walk down the hall and talk directly to colleagues. For geographically remote folks, use chat. You can give precise direction and clear up misunderstandings quickly. The amount of time wasted perpetuating endless email threads is mindboggling — and the pointless mistakes generated.

9. Chop up big problems into smaller chunks: This will reduce the feeling of overload and the procrastination associated with taking on big jobs. One practical way to do this is to adopt Agile techniques for managing your work tasks. Born in the software development world, Agile’s big contribution to task management is breaking big jobs down into short sprints. Having a solution in hand throughout the process reduces the anxiety of tackling big jobs.

10. Use checklists for repetitive tasks to reduce errors: Particularly when you are overworked or are operating under time constraints, checklists keep you on track. For an excellent guide for using checklists, take a look at Atul Gawande’s The Checklist Manifesto.

Article found at: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/242359