20Jul

Employee Comfort = Increased Productivity

When employees think of work, they don’t necessarily associate that thought with comfort. That’s a shame as there are several ways to ensure physical comfort in the workplace or whenever we call our “office.” Whether it’s the furniture they sit on, their location within the office, or how the computer is situated.

If your staff is comfortable, it could make all the difference in attitude and productivity.

Comfort comes in many forms, and there are a few strategies to help you demonstrate that the well-being of your employees is a priority. Some will require a bit of effort and possibly a monetary investment, but many approaches are no/low-cost.
Desk & Chair

The desk is essential, but the office chair can be one of the biggest game-changers for comfort. A poorly made chair can be uncomfortable, and as the day continues, the employee could experience back neck and shoulder pain, in addition to other stressors, which can easily lead to decreased concentration and fatigue. Many supply stores will work with you to choose an ergonomically built office chair at reduced costs, especially if you purchase more than one.

Show Your Support for Keeping Work & Personal Time Separate

This may not always be possible as in these virtual times, and with hybrid work environments, the way we work is different. However, whenever possible, allow, and encourage your employees to take a break and take time to have a personal life. When they feel you support their time away from the “office” as their own, they will come back with clearer heads and a deeper appreciation for the company.

Break Up the Day
The following suggestions are something that will make you look great to your team, and at the same time, increase productivity as it will allow them to take super quick mini-breaks every hour. And, it could also turn into a team exercise where everyone comes up with ideas on how to accomplish these activities. To follow are some suggestions you could introduce. They can be performed on an individual basis or as a fun few seconds/minutes simultaneously.
Get Out Of Your Chair
Sitting in their chair for hours on end is detrimental and reduces focus. Perform an unrelated work activity every hour for just a few minutes.
  • Stretch or do jumping jacks in place
  • Walk to a window and look out, focusing on the shape of a cloud. Is it a dog? Or is it a fairy princess? Use your imagination.
  • Walk around the office. Do you wear a monitoring device such as a Fitbit? Get your steps in but take care not to disrupt the rest of the office unless you're doing this as a group exercise.
  • If given longer breaks throughout the day, 5-10 minutes of walking outside can do wonders. Responsible staff won't abuse these opportunities, but to ensure work is still performed, include the break guidelines in the employee manual. Most employers loosen the reins if they see an increase in production or creative thinking.
Meditation
This exercise is something that can be accomplished at their desk and done throughout the day. There are many apps or if someone in the office has experience meditating, ask them to show others how to do it. Or bring in a third-party vendor to show them exercises they can do on their own. It takes practice, but if they can clear their head for a few minutes each hour, it helps restore focus.
Meditation
If you work closely with a reputable Staffing Solutions firm to secure quality talent, make sure to let them know if these are some of your everyday best practices. In a competitive market, this positive culture could be the deciding factor between your company and another.
Take some of the above steps and watch your employees thrive while increasing their motivation to take your company to the next level.