The Link Between Employee Retention & Office Design

When it comes to holding onto staff members, there are many factors to consider. Things such as job satisfaction, respect from managers, and pay all contribute to how well your business will retain employees. However, management often overlooks some aspects when searching for ways to make workers happier.

One such example of a commonly missed opportunity is office design. The look and feel of an office can significantly affect how content an employee is with their job, but why is that? In this blog post, we’ll dive deeper into the link between employee retention and office design, as well as some tips for strengthening that connection.

As previously mentioned, a big part of employee retention is how much each member enjoys their job. While personal preference is a large part of this, how productive employees feel during the workday can also contribute to job satisfaction. You can naturally increase your workers’ productivity in the office with certain layouts and design elements.

Giving your employees the tools they need to succeed with an ergonomic desk and chair can significantly boost how much work they accomplish in the day. Plus, you can introduce focus-driven music over the sound system and noise-reducing foam to create a calmer working environment

While a standard desk and chair are what most people prefer for their ideal workstation, not every employee has the same needs. Everyone has their own personal preference regarding where and how they like to work. Some workers like to lounge on a couch, while others would rather spread their things across a large table. If you make an effort to provide multiple workstation options to your employees, they will be much more likely to stick around.

A common public image of offices is a bland atmosphere with a white and grey color scheme. This type of style tends to make people more lethargic and unmotivated. However, spicing things up with some more upbeat styles and colors will help employees feel more comfortable and positive while in the office.

Increasing the amount of natural light will also help boost overall morale. Opening more windows or installing bulbs that mimic natural light will energize your workers and make them more willing to work in the office space.

Even though some separation between staff members is excellent for improving focus and productivity, completely blocking people off from one another can hurt employee retention. A large part of what people enjoy about their jobs is the people they work with. Discouraging interaction between them will lead to increased dissatisfaction with the job.

Employing an open concept with your office design will help encourage mingling between workers. You’ll need to combine this aspect with a focus on positive company culture to ensure that relations don’t sour. Most of the time, the best way to retain employees is to forge friendships between them

Another key element that improves employee retention is creating a sense of brand loyalty. People love to tell their friends and family about how wonderful their company is, but employees won’t feel that bond if you fail to build that loyalty.

While much of this sense of loyalty stems from the company’s actions and events, you can use office design to help cement these feelings. Posting your company logo around the office and emphasizing the usage of brand colors in your furniture and equipment will help employees connect to the brand.

While this post focuses on the link between employee retention and office design, we can’t ignore the fact that the principles also apply to employee attraction. Although the point of interviewing potential candidates in the office is to meet them in person, you can also use that time to impress them.

Reading about your company online doesn’t have the same effect as seeing it in person. If you design your office in a way that keeps your current employees happy, your potential recruits will take notice. When that job offer comes around, seeing what office life will be like with your company helps candidates determine if it’s the right fit.

Now that you’ve seen how your office’s design can improve employee retention and attraction, it’s essential to know where to start with your changes. Here are a few suggestions on what to do to adjust and improve your office’s atmosphere.

Many of the aspects mentioned here revolve around the furniture in the office. If your desks appear outdated or simply too bland, replacing them with new ones will instantly make a difference in the overall look of an area. Custom-made wood furniture is an excellent choice for making an area feel more inviting and unique. Durable, custom pieces ensure that your office’s furniture suits the needs of your employees and holds up to every demand of the workday.

You’ll also require specific pieces of furniture if you need to set up new areas for employees to use. Creating a cove with a few chairs and couches is a fantastic place to start. Placing a few tables together will create more space for larger projects as well.

Once you improve the furniture, you should look to update your walls. If your office currently features plain white walls, try adding brighter hues to make the space more vibrant. Incorporating your brand colors is a straightforward way to build employee loyalty. You can also use wall décor to further communicate your brand’s character and create a positive working environment. Custom signage is a wonderful addition that looks great in the background of office photos.

If your office already incorporates many of these changes, a simple layout adjustment could also make a difference. Try to find a balance between giving employees space to focus on their work while not isolating them. Retaining clear lines of communication will keep production up while encouraging connections.

If your current office isn’t conducive to this change, you should consider remodeling it. You can address one section at a time to avoid shutting down the entire space. Redesign each area to have fewer walls dividing your work areas and more space for practical, comfortable furnishings.

 








The Link Between Employee Retention & Office Design

Related Posts

Podcast & Media Desks

It goes without saying that every podcast is different and therefore every podcast desk has different advantages and disadvantages for every situation. Depending on the

Read More »
Light wood natural office meeting table - Butterscotch faux leather rolling meeting chair

Meeting Tables

GET FURNITURE QUOTE SCHEDULE A CONSULT Every business small or large has one thing in common and that is the need to be on the

Read More »

Office Workstations

GET FURNITURE QUOTE SCHEDULE A CONSULT The modern workplace has undergone a massive change over the last several years. With work from home becoming increasingly

Read More »